Sri Lankan army opens fire on rioters as pumps run dry

SRI LANKA’S military opened fire to contain rioting at a petrol station as unprecedented queues were seen across the bankrupt country on Saturday night .

Shots were fired in Visuvamadu, 228 miles north of Colombo, as a guard point was attacked, army spokesman Nilantha Premaratne said.

“A group of 20 to 30 people pelted stones and damaged an army truck,” Mr Premaratne told AFP news agency.

Police said four civilians and three soldiers were wounded as the army quelled unrest. As the pump ran out of petrol, motorists began to protest and the situation escalated into a clash with troops, police said.

Sri Lanka is in its worst economic crisis since independence, unable to find cash to import essentials, including food, fuel and medicines. The 22 million population has been enduring acute shortages and long queues for scarce supplies while President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has for months resisted calls to step down over mismanagement.

Sri Lanka has deployed armed police and troops to guard fuel stations.

A motorist was shot dead by police in April in the central town of Rambukkana when a clash erupted over the distribution of rationed petrol and diesel. Police said clashes involving motorists broke out at three locations over the weekend. At least six officers were wounded in one clash while seven motorists were arrested.

The government declared a twoweek shutdown of state institutions and schools to cut commuting and conserve fuel stocks. The country is also facing record high inflation and lengthy power blackouts.