Shoot at sight orders in Sri Lanka to stop Sri Lanka riots

The defence ministry of Sri Lanka ordered troops to shoot on sight people involved in looting or damaging property, the order issued on Tuesday (May 10)  a day after mobs targeted the homes of ruling-party politicians.
 
"Security forces have been ordered to shoot on sight anyone looting public property or causing harm to life," the ministry said.


The government deployed tens of thousands of army, navy and air force personnel to control tense streets of the capital Colombo and elsewhere.
 
Eight people, including two policemen, were killed and 65 homes damaged during a violent overnight clash, forty-one of the homes were burned as Police said on Tuesday.
 
88 cars and busses were destroyed along with hundreds of motorcycles according to Official reports.
 
Sri Lanka is under a state of emergency since Friday which gives powers to the military to arrest and detain suspects.
 
On Monday the government also declared a curfew after a clash between pro-government activists and the peaceful month-long protest in the capital demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.