Protestors hit with tear gas outside PM office, State of Emergency to be declared

Updated 0722 GMT

A state of emergency is to be declared across Sri Lanka and a curfew has been imposed in the western province, as protestors marched to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office this morning.

There are reports that the Sri Lankan security forces have fired tear gas at the protestors, as military helicopters have been circling over the prime minister’s office.

Although President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is yet to officially resign, Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office reportedly said the prime minister will step in as “acting president" where he will declare a state of emergency.

Tensions have been high across the South this morning after Rajapaksa fled the country in a military plane in the early hours of the morning. He landed in the Maldives.

 

More to follow.

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