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As demonstrators in Sri Lanka surrounded the parliament, Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday, 13 July, declared a countrywide curfew until 5 am on Thursday.
Earlier, in an emergency all-party meeting called by the Sri Lanka Parliament's Speaker, leaders had asked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to step down and requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to take over as acting president instead.
Embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country and reportedly took shelter in the Maldives, will leave for Singapore amid protests by Sri Lankans living in the Maldives.
Meanwhile, Wickremesinghe, who took over as acting president earlier on Wednesday asked security forces to arrest those involved in rioting in Sri Lanka and restore order.
Extraordinary visuals showed the police personnel in riot gears firing tear gas to scatter a sea of protesters who took over Wickremesinghe's office.
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Protestors dance shouting slogans against president Gotabaya Rajapaksa outside his office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Wednesday, 13 July.
(Photo: PTI)
Sri Lanka's Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will resign on Wednesday, 13 July
Wickremesinghe had declared an indefinite nationwide state of emergency earlier on Wednesday
Following this, huge protests broke out in Colombo again, with thousands of demonstrators taking over the PM's office
He had also announced that he would resign from his position as the prime minister
President Rajapaksa had left his residence before historic protests broke out in Colombo
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Sri Lanka's Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe issued a gazette on Wednesday, 13 July, declaring curfew across the country until 5 am on Thursday.
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Beleaguered President Gotabaya Rajpaksa issued a gazette appointing Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe "to exercise, perform and discharge the powers" of the President with effect from 13 July.