Ranil Wickremesinghe takes oath as Sri Lanka's new Prime Minister

COLOMBO: Amid the political turmoil in the country, leader of the United National Party Ranil Wickremesinghe has been appointed as the next Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. According to a report, Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the country's Prime Minister by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The new cabinet will command a majority in the 225-seat parliament, the President had said in a statement.

However, a Sri Lankan court on Thursday banned former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and 15 others, including his son, MPs and senior police officers from leaving the country, for instigating Monday's violence that killed nine people and injured over 300.

Colombo's Magistrate court issued the travel ban on Mahinda Rajapaksa, his son MP Namal, and 14 others who participated in Monday's meeting with his supporters who later carried out violent attacks on peaceful protesters in front of his house and his President's office.

The Attorney General Sanjaya Rajarantam, who has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to investigate the violent attacks on peaceful protesters, had informed the courts to impose a ban on the former PM and others.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, his son and others, who were present at the meeting, need to be present in Sri Lanka for the ongoing investigations on the attacks as they were suspected to have conspired and planned the attacks.

The pro-Rajapaksa supporters, who protested against Rajapaska leaving his post were later armed with clubs, poles and iron bars, had attacked the protesters.

The protesters had been camping for more than a month demanding the Rajapaksas to leave amid a severe economic crisis.

Among others against whom the travel ban has been imposed were former ministers — Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Kanchana Jayaratne, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Sanath Nishantha, other MPs and senior DIG Deshabandu Thennakoon. (IANS)

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