Send Gotabaya back to SL: Protests near Maldives Prez’s house

COLOMBO: Maldivians and Sri Lankan expatriates are protesting near Maldives President Ibrahim Solih's house urging the authorities to send ousted Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa out from their country's soil, the Head of the Maldivian TV channel told Daily Mirror.

President Rajapaksa fled the country for the Maldives early on Wednesday morning, along with his wife and two security officers amid mass scale protests against him in Sri Lanka, Daily Mirror reported.

The Sri Lankan President arrived at the Velena International airport in the Maldives at 3.07 a.m. on Wednesday and the Maldives capital was under heavy security at that time, sources confirmed to Daily Mirror.

Sources said that former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed had requested President Ibrahim Solih for the Rajapaksas to land in Maldives and clearance was received.

Rajapaksa is expected to be in the Maldives on transit before flying to another destination which is yet to be known.