Sri Lankan President urges people to stop 'acts of revenge' as death toll in violence rises to 8

As the death toll from violence rises to 8, Sri Lanka's President has urged people to stop "acts of revenge."

Embattled Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday urged people to stop "violence and acts of revenge" against fellow citizens and vowed to address the political and economic crisis facing the nation, even as the death toll rose to eight in the unprecedented violence that erupted after supporters of former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa attacked anti-government protesters here.

Nearly 250 people have also been injured in the violence in Colombo and other parts of the country. A curfew is in force across the island nation after mobs burned down the ancestral home belonging to the ruling Rajapaksa family amid mounting anger at the worst economic crisis. Though Mahinda Rajapaksa has quit as prime minister, this has failed to bring calm.

"I appeal and urge people to remain calm & stop violence & acts of revenge against citizens, irrespective of political affiliations. All efforts will be made to restore political stability through consensus, within constitutional mandate & to resolve economic crisis," President Gotabaya tweeted in his first comments since the outbreak of the violence that saw arson attacks on the homes of several former ministers and politicians.

I appeal and urge people to remain calm & stop violence & acts of revenge against citizens, irrespective of political affiliations.All efforts will be made to restore political stability through consensus, within constitutional mandate & to resolve economic crisis.

Sri Lanka’s Attorney General on Tuesday asked the police chief to conduct an urgent and full-fledged investigation into the violent clashes between anti- and pro-government protesters in the country.