An MP from Sri Lanka’s ruling party has died after clashing with anti-government protesters, and the homes of a number of other politicians have been set on fire as violence escalates in the country.
The prime minister has resigned, and his younger brother, who is president, is also under pressure to leave as the country struggles with its worst economic crisis in decades.
Mahinda Rajapaksa says he wants to help form an interim unity government, but his resignation came after police used tear gas and water cannons against his supporters who attacked protesters outside the president’s and prime minister’s offices in the commercial capital, Colombo.
At least nine people have been taken to Colombo National Hospital for treatment related to injuries or tear gas inhalation, according to a health official.
About 150 people were injured during the day, reports said.
This was the first time that opposing sides had clashed since an unprecedented wave of demonstrations began in late March.
Lawmaker Amarakerti Atukorala has died after a clash with anti-government protesters in the town of Nitambuva near Colombo, a police source told Reuters.
At least three people were injured and the area remains tense, with dozens of protesters still at the scene.
In Colombo, protesters hijacked a bus used to transport pro-government supporters, according to a witness, one of several incidents reported in the city.
There have also been reports of numerous attacks on politicians’ homes and polling stations. The residences of MPs Sanat Nisanta and Ramesh Patirana were set on fire.
Image: A supporter of the Sri Lankan government carries a national flag after attacking anti-government protesters in front of the president’s office in Colombo. Photo: AP
Pro-government supporters were attacked in at least four places as they were returning from Colombo, they said.
The houses of at least two mayors were also set on fire, according to police sources.
Supporters of the prime minister attacked protesters who had been demonstrating in front of his official residence for weeks, hitting them with wooden and iron poles.
Image: A policeman uses tear gas against supporters of the ruling Sri Lankan party during a clash with anti-government protesters
They then headed to the president’s office, where they attacked protesters and set fire to their camps. Police use tear gas and a water cannon at the site of the protest, but not forcibly enough to control the crowd.
A national curfew has been imposed in addition to the state of emergency that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared last week amid escalating protests.
A government spokesman said all cabinet members had resigned, as had the prime minister.
Image: Supporter of Sri Lanka’s ruling party pulls anti-government protester by his shirt
Read more: How fuel shortages and rising prices affect the entire economy of Sri Lanka “risks running out of food and fuel”
The island nation of 22 million people has suffered prolonged power outages and shortages of basic necessities, including fuel, cooking gas and medicines.
It is on the verge of bankruptcy and has stopped paying on its foreign loans.
Heavily affected by the pandemic, rising oil prices and tax cuts, Sri Lanka has just $ 50 million (£ 40 million) in usable foreign reserves, Finance Minister Ali Sabri said last week.
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0:59 The opposition leader of Sri Lanka was attacked by a mob
The government turned to the International Monetary Fund for rescue aid and held a virtual summit with representatives of the multilateral lender aimed at providing emergency assistance.
The long queues for cooking observed in recent days have often turned into impromptu protests as frustrated consumers blocked roads.
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3:15 Sri Lanka may fall into “anarchy”
Local energy companies say stocks of liquefied petroleum gas, used mainly for cooking, are running low.
Sri Lanka needs at least 40,000 tonnes of gas each month, and the monthly import bill will be $ 40 million (£ 32 million) at current prices.
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