Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse has been re-elected for a second term of office.

He took more than 57.9 percent of the vote to beat his main rival, former army chief Sarath Fonseka, by a wide margin.

As the votes were being counted, troops surrounded the hotel in which General Fonseka was staying in the capital, Colombo. A military spokesman said there was reason to believe army deserters were staying in the building. However, the opposition has condemned the move as intimidation, and General Fonseka has appealed for foreign protection.

Yesterday’s presidential election was the first since the end of Sri Lanka’s 25-year civil war. Both Mr Rakapakse and General Fonseka claimed key roles in the final victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels.

In the run-up to the election, violence flared up between supporters of the two candidates. In response, tight security measures were in place during Tuesday’s voting. The electoral commission has put the turnout at around 70 percent.

President Mahinda Rajapakse (ANP)