Sri Lankan authorities deployed armored vehicles and troops on the streets of the capital Wednesday, a day after pro-government mobs attacked peaceful protesters, triggering a wave of violence across the country.
Security forces have been ordered to shoot those deemed to be participating in the violence, as sporadic acts of arson and vandalism continued into a second day despite a strict curfew that began Monday evening.
Armored trucks with soldiers riding atop were seen rolling into some areas of Colombo, where the government is facing its severest challenge in decades as the country plunges into economic crisis and protests.
Videos posted on social media showed lines of military trucks moving out of the capital and soldiers setting up checkpoints across the country, amid fears that a political vacuum could pave the way for a military takeover.
Nationwide protests have been calling for the resignations of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother, who stepped down as prime minister this week, over a debt crisis that has nearly bankrupted Sri Lanka and left its people facing shortages of fuel, food and other essentials.
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