Maldivian government has admitted to giving clearance to a Sri Lankan military aircraft carrying President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to land at Velana International Airport.

Gotabaya along with his wife and two bodyguards arrived at the Maldives during the early hours of Wednesday morning.

He departed the Maldives to Singapore this afternoon on a Saudi aircraft.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tonight revealed that upon the request of the Sri Lankan government, the government of Maldives had cleared the aircraft to land in the Maldives with Gotabaya and his wife, as a transit destination.

It further confirmed that Gotabaya has traveled to Singapore. This was also confirmed by a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore, which noted that Gotabaya arrived in the country today on a personal trip.

Upon arriving to Singapore, Gotabaya had resigned as the President of Sri Lanka as previously reported. Local newspapers cited Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Speaker of the Parliament noting that the President had officially filed in his resignation letter.

Announcing the resignation of Gotabaya, Speaker Mohamed Nasheed noted that he hopes Sri Lanka would move toward better times.