Fuel Shortage Sparks Gas Station Riots in Sri Lanka... Soldiers Open Fire on Civilians

Tricycles lined up in front of gas stations amid the fuel shortage in Sri Lanka last April. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-seop] In Sri Lanka, which declared a national default, fuel ran out, leading to riots at gas stations. Soldiers fired at civilians to suppress the unrest.

According to major foreign media on the 19th, riots broke out at a gas station in a city 365 km north of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, the previous night. Citizens, who had been waiting in long lines at the gas station, became agitated upon hearing that the fuel had run out and began throwing stones at the deployed soldiers.

A military official stated, "20 to 30 civilians threw stones and damaged military trucks and equipment, prompting us to fire to control the situation." Although there were no fatalities from the shooting, the clashes intensified, resulting in injuries to four civilians and three soldiers.

Sri Lanka declared a "temporary default" in April. Since 2019, the national economy has collapsed due to a series of adverse events including the Easter terror attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Ukraine war. The country has run out of dollars to import fuel such as coal and oil, leading to rolling blackouts.

Citizens flocked to gas stations across Sri Lanka to buy fuel. The government, anticipating a chain reaction of riots, has deployed armed military and police personnel at gas stations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.