Sri Lanka's president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has resigned while in self-exile.

Gotabaya handed his resignation on Thursday after traveling to Singapore from Maldives. Sri Lanka's speaker of parliament, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, confirmed Gotabaya's resignation on Thursday.

Gotabaya had previously announced his resignation for 13 July but instead appointed prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the acting president. Ranil announced a state of emergency and curfew in Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Gotabaya left Sri Lanka on a military aircraft, joined by his wife and two body guards. He arrived in the Maldives on 13 July and flew to Singapore on Thursday afternoon.

The Maldivian government has received backlash over their decision to safeguard the self-exiled ex-president by both Maldivians and Sri Lankans.