Sri Lanka’s President And 14 Family Members Blocked From Fleeing The Country By Airport Staff, Senior Military Source Says

Another attempt was made to get the family on an Etihad flight scheduled to leave Colombo for Abu Dhabi at 9:20 p.m. local, according to the source, however the same problem occurred, as the Rajapaksas refused to queue for the flight and show up in person at immigration for passport checks.

In both instances, the Rajapaksa family was in a nearby airport lounge, waiting for confirmation they could board without queuing among members of the public, the source said.

Rajapaksa’s current whereabouts within Sri Lanka are unknown. On Tuesday, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) denied that he is currently staying in a private residence belonging to Air Force Chief Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, according to a SLAF statement.

The SLAF issued the denial after a video released by a former police officer claimed that the President was staying in a private house belonging to the Air Force Commander. The SLAF said that there is no truth behind the report and described it as propaganda intended to tarnish the image of the SLAF and its chief.

The drastic escalation of unrest could spell the end of the Rajapaksa family’s political dynasty, which has ruled Sri Lanka for most of the past two decades.

His inability to leave Sri Lanka has cast doubts over the timeline for him leaving office though, as his planned resignation would leave Rajapaksa without presidential immunity — potentially exposing him to a raft of legal charges and reduced security.

Rajapaksa stands accused of high-level corruption and economic mismanagement, which ultimately bankrupted the country and triggered its worst financial crisis since independence.