International desk ; Anti-government protesters in Sri Lanka on Tuesday set up a checkpoint on the road leading to the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo to prevent the Rajapaksa family loyalists from fleeing the country, as violence and widespread protests continued against the regime over the country’s worst economic crisis in decades.
Mahinda Rajapaksa, 76, resigned as prime minister on Monday amid unprecedented economic turmoil, hours after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters, prompting authorities to impose a nationwide curfew and deploy Army troops in the capital. The attack triggered widespread violence against pro-Rajapaksa politicians, PTI reports.
“Large groups of people have set up a checkpoint on the road leading to the Katunayake Airport. They are trying to prevent ruling faction loyalists from fleeing the country,” News 1st channel reported.
The Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo is locally known as Katunayake Airport.
Mahinda, along with his wife and family, fled his official residence – Temple Trees – and took shelter at a naval base in Trincomalee – a port city on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka.
