Former Sri Lankan president returns seven weeks after protests

COLOMBO, Sep. 2 (DPA/EP) –

Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa returned to Sri Lanka this Friday, seven weeks after leaving the country in the midst of a wave of protests against his government.

Airport sources have confirmed the return of Rajapaksa, who arrives from Thailand but has also landed in Maldives and Singapore in recent weeks. The former president has landed in Katunayake, north of Colombo.

Rajapaksa fled Sri Lanka after spiraling social unrest over lack of food and fuel sparked protests with tens of thousands of demonstrators and an assault on the presidential palace on July 9.

Initially, he took refuge on a ship, but four days later he flew to the Maldives. She will now have an official home and security personnel at her expense, although from his party they have assured that she has no intention of continuing on the political front line.