COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared victory on Sunday in Sri Lanka’s presidential election, signaling the return to power of a divisive family credited for ending the country’s long civil war through brutal means. Tallies from Sri Lanka’s election commission showed Mr. Rajapaksa leading by several percentage points a day after polls opened, with ballots still to be counted in some of his strongest districts. His main opponent, Sajith Premadasa, conceded Sunday morning, though official results have yet to be announced. “As we usher in a new journey for Sri Lanka, we must remember that all Sri Lankans are part of this journey,” Mr. Rajapaksa wrote on Twitter in his first remarks about the victory. In April, a Muslim militant group claiming loyalty to the Islamic State killed hundreds of people in coordinated suicide bombings at churches and hotels on Easter Sunday.

Source: International New York Times November 17, 2019 08:48 UTC