Sri Lankan protesters stormed the president’s official residence, forcing his resignation after months of economic crisis and resource shortages.

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The speaker of Sri Lanka’s Parliament says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has agreed to resign as of Wednesday. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said in a televised statement Saturday that he informed Rajapaksa of a decision taken at a meeting of Parliamentary party leaders requesting he leave office, and he agreed.

However, Rajapaksa will remain as president until Wednesday to ensure a smooth transfer of power, Abeywardena added. The announcement came hours after protesters stormed the president’s official residence to vent their anger over the country’s severe economic crisis.

Protesters also broke into the prime minister’s private residence and set it on fire fire hours after he said he would resign when a new government is formed, in the biggest day of angry demonstrations that also saw crowds storming the president’s home and office.

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