Sri Lanka‘s president confirms resignation via email.
Disgruntled citizens of Sri Lanka are now demanding the resignation of the prime minister.
The country of 22 million people is struggling with a severe foreign exchange shortage that has limited essential imports of fuel, food and medicine, plunging it into its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948.
Many blame President Rajapaksa for this, and largely peaceful protests have continued since March.
Discontent has worsened in recent weeks as the country closed schools and rationed fuel consumption, with inflation reaching nearly 55 percent in June.