Sri Lanka Issues Shoot-On-Sight Order to Quell Unrest

Amid the country's worst-ever economic crisis, the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry ordered its Armed forces to open fire at anyone Looting public property or causing harm to others after a day of clashes that killed seven people and injured more than 200 in the island nation.

“Security forces have been ordered to shoot on sight anyone looting public property or causing harm to life,” the ministry said as reported by news agency AFP.

Earlier, the lethal protests began in front of Sri Lanka's Trincomalee Naval Base on Tuesday after reports emerged that Mahinda and his entire family have been hiding at the Navy's Trincomalee naval base amid heavy military security, as reported by news agency PTI.

"There are a lot of rumours that we are going to leave. We will not leave the country," he said, describing the surge of national anger against his family as a "bad patch".

"My father is safe, he is at a safe location and he is communicating with the family," said Namal, who served as the country's sports minister until a cabinet shake-up last month.

To remove the protesters, the security personnel had to open fire from inside the PM's residence. On Tuesday morning, the Sri Lankan army, armed with heavy weapons, somehow pulled out Mahinda Rajapaksa from his house.

Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as the prime minister of the island nation on Monday morning.