What is the connection of nine dates with the protests in SriLanka?
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as interim president as Sri Lanka continues to experience extreme unrest due to the economic and political crisis.
Sri Lanka has been gripped by unprecedented anti-government protests for the past few weeks.
But Sri Lanka's political situation reached this state how? And why did the ninth date become significant for the protesters in this unprecedented demonstration of the country?
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he had ordered the military and police to do "whatever is necessary" to restore law and order in the country.
He gave the order as thousands of protesters stormed into his office in the capital, Colombo, after the country's newly declared state of emergency.
In a statement given on television, Mr. Wickramasinghe said a committee headed by military and police chiefs has been formed to normalize the situation. He said the protesters were preventing him from performing his duties as acting president.
After President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, the Speaker of Parliament announced Prime Minister Wickremesinghe as acting President of the country. Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa termed the announcement as "ridiculous".
Sri-Lanka declared a state of emergency ?
After announcing Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as Acting President, he declared a state of emergency across the country. But thousands of protesters gathered in front of the prime minister's office.
When they tried to enter the building, the police stopped them and fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse them. There were several clashes between them. At one point the protesters scaled the walls surrounding the prime minister's office. They broke down the main gate of the Prime Minister's office and finally managed to enter.
Meanwhile, they started cheering there with slogans. Many are seen taking pictures and selfies with their mobile phones.
Rajni Vaidyanathan, a BBC correspondent, also went inside the Prime Minister's office. He says, this is another exceptional moment in the history of Sri Lanka. A few days ago, the protesters also entered the presidential palace and office.
He says the situation there is difficult to describe. But the real question is - what next? Even the protestors do not know the answer.
Order the military to restore order in Sri Lanka !!
Thousands of people are protesting in the streets of Colombo after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared a curfew in the western part of the country, including the capital Colombo, and a state of emergency across the country.
Protesters say their fight is not over yet. They demand that all those who are in the leadership of the government should leave. And those responsible for the state of the country must be brought to justice.
It was in this situation that Prime Minister Wickramasinghe gave a televised address and ordered the army to do whatever was necessary to restore the law and order situation in the country.
Army tear gas !!
Earlier, thousands of angry protesters defied curfew in the capital Colombo and stood in front of the Prime Minister's residence.
The army has taken position in front of the Prime Minister's residence. Police fired tear gas at the protesters.
Video footage showed the entire area engulfed in tear gas smoke. People were seen running for safe shelter.
These developments come as Sri Lanka's opposition parties begin talks to form a new government.
Protesters blame President Rajapaksa's family and his government for the country's ailing economy.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had earlier announced that he would resign on July 13, i.e. Wednesday. But it is still not clear what he will do now.
The BBC has learned that Mr. Rajapaksa will not stay in Maldives. Move to another country. His brother former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa has already left Sri Lanka and is on his way to the US.
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