Sri Lanka swears in new president as soldiers crack down on protesters

International human rights groups on Saturday urged Sri Lanka's new president to immediately order security forces to cease use of force against protesters after troops and police cleared their main camp following months of demonstrations over the country's economic meltdown.

A day after President Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn, hundreds of armed troops raided a protest camp outside the president's office in the early hours of Friday, attacking demonstrators with batons. Human Rights Watch said the action "sends a dangerous message to the Sri Lankan people that the new government intends to act through brute force rather than the rule of law."

Two journalists and two lawyers were also attacked by soldiers in the crackdown. Security forces arrested 11 people, including protesters and lawyers.