Sri Lankan military have been heavily deployed to the capital, Colombo as anti-government protests and violence continues on the island.
Armoured military tanks and armed soldiers were seen patrolling the capital after being ordered by the Defence Ministry to shoot anyone "looting public property or causing harm to others".
The island has been rocked by violence since Monday after pro-Rajapaska supporters clashed with anti-government protesters who have been camped out at Galle Face Green for weeks, demanding president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign.
Despite an island-wide curfew, anti-government protesters have continued to rally against the current regime. An announcment was made by the Sri Lankan police via loudspeakers at the Presidential Secretariat, demanding the protesters to leave the protest site due to the curfew.
As violence erupted on the island, Mahinda Rajapaksa tendered his resignation and fled to a Sri Lankan navy base in Trincomalee, also known to be an infamous torture site. Meanwhile, a series of politicians homes and businesses have been burnt and vandalised across the island.