COLOMBO -- Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will step down on Wednesday, the country's parliamentary speaker said on Saturday, just hours after thousands of Sri Lankan protesters marched to Colombo, storming his official residence and office and demanding his resignation.
Rajapaksa, who has taken refuge in an undisclosed location, had informed the parliament speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena of his decision. Addressing the media in Colombo to convey the president's decision, Yapa said, "In order to ensure a peaceful transition of power, the president has informed that he will resign on July 13."
