Sri Lanka lifted a nationwide curfew for 12 hours today, further easing tight curbs as new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe sought to form a government after clashes with anti-government groups killed nine people.
More than a month of predominantly peaceful protests against the government turned violent this week after supporters of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa attacked an anti-government protest camp in the commercial capital Colombo, burning tents and clashing with protesters.
The initial clashes and reprisals against government figures also left more than 300 injured.
The government lifted the curfew from 6 a.m. (0030 GMT) today until 6 p.m. A 24-hour curfew imposed on May 9 had been lifted for a few hours on May 12 and May 13 to allow purchase of essential supplies.
Mahinda Rajapaksa stepped down after violence flared on May 9, leaving his younger brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa to rule on as president.
Hit hard by the pandemic, rising oil prices and tax cuts by the populist government, Sri Lanka is in the throes of its worst economic crisis since independence from Great Britain in 1948.
Useable foreign reserves have dwindled, and rampant inflation and shortages of fuel have brought thousands onto the streets in protest.