Sri Lanka’s presidential office to reopen today after removal of anti-govt demonstrators from colonial-era building

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s presidential office will reopen today, days after anti-government demonstrators were flushed out in a military crackdown.

The colonial-era building was occupied earlier this month by protesters angered by the island nation’s unprecedented economic crisis.

Soldiers rescued then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa from his nearby residence before it was overrun by an angry crowd the same day, with the leader eventually fleeing to Singapore and resigning. Troops armed with batons and automatic weapons cleared the presidential secretariat shortly after midnight Friday on the orders of Rajapaksa’s successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe. At least 48 people were wounded and nine arrested in the operation, during which security forces tore down tents set up by protesters outside the complex. Wickremesinghe was elected by legislators on Wednesday to replace Rajapaksa.