Angry protesters who stormed the official residences of Sri Lanka’s President and Prime Minister succeeded in forcing them to resign on the weekend as the country lurches further into crisis.
However, the protesters say they won’t leave the luxury houses until both leaders have vacated their roles. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is expected to step down on Wednesday, while Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe tweeted his resignation Saturday but didn’t confirm his date of departure.
The resignations mark a major win for protesters, but the future of the country’s 22 million people is uncertain as they struggle to buy basic goods, fuel and medicine.
Here’s the latest.
Where is the protest movement at now?
Over the weekend tens of thousands of protesters massed outside the President’s office and residence before breaking through security cordons.
Striking images shared on social media show them singing protest songs and chanting slogans calling for Rajapaksa to resign. Images showed groups of protesters setting up barbecue pits to grill and cook food.
Source: Egypt Independent