Sri Lanka’s president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has prorogued parliament as he hurriedly flew to Singapore on an unscheduled visit, according to the latest reports.
Rajapaksa, a former defence secretary who stands accused of mass atrocities, announced that parliament would be prorogued until January 18. Initially, it was set to convene on January 11.
Hours after the announcement, he reportedly flew to Singapore.
“Officials said he was there on a private visit, believed to be for health reasons,” reports the Eastern Eye, with similar reports by NDTV.
His departure from the island comes as it continues to be rocked by an economic crisis, which has seen the price of basic goods rocket and Colombo struggling with dwindling foreign reserves.