Colombo , (AFP) - Sri Lanka's president was flown to a military base near the main international airport Monday, officials said, prompting speculation he may be heading into exile abroad.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had fled the presidential palace in Colombo with a security escort from the Navy on Saturday, shortly before thousands of protesters stormed the presidential compound.

Hours later, the Speaker of Parliament announced that Rajapaksa would resign Wednesday to make way for a "peaceful transition of power".

The 73-year-old president had sought refuge at a naval facility, a senior defense official told AFP, before he was transferred to the Katunayake base, which shares a common fence with Bandaranaike International Airport.

"Rajapaksa and his entourage were flown back to Colombo on two Bell-412 helicopters," the official said.

There was no official statement from the president's office regarding his whereabouts, but several local media reports speculated that he might head to Dubai later on Monday.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's office had said that Rajapaksa had officially informed him of his intention to resign, without specifying a date.

Earlier Monday, protesters handed a Sri Lankan court the millions of rupees Rajapaksa left behind when he fled his official residence, police said.

Official sources stated that a bag full of documents was found in the luxurious home.

Rajapaksa moved to live in the building, which was built two hundred years ago, after he was forced to flee his private home on March 31, as a result of an attempt by demonstrators to storm it.

In the event of Rajapaksa's resignation, Wickremesinghe will automatically assume the position of acting president, until parliament elects a deputy to complete the term, which ends in November 2024.

But Wickremesinghe himself declared his desire to step down if it was agreed to form a unity government.

The process of naming a successor can last from three days (which is the minimum possible period for parliament to convene) to the maximum 30 days allowed under the Basic Law.

The main opposition party, Smaghi Jana Balawijaya (SJB), is holding talks with smaller political groups on Monday to secure support for its leader, Sajit Premadasa.

A party official said a preliminary agreement was reached with dissidents from the Rajapaksa Party (SLPP) to support Premadasa, 55, who lost in the 2019 presidential election.

Premadasa is the son of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was assassinated in a suicide bombing by Tamil rebels in May 1993.

Also among the candidates for the premiership is former Information Minister Dolas Alahabiruma (63 years), who was loyal to Rajapaksa, according to an SJB deputy participating in the talks, according to AFP.

Five ministers resigned at the end of the week, while Wickremesinghe's office reported that the government had agreed on Monday to submit a collective resignation once an agreement was reached on a "all-party government".

On Monday, large numbers of people lined up in front of the presidential palace, seeking to enter it. The long waiting lines exceeded the long lines in front of the city's gas stations.

The demonstrators assured that they will not leave until Rajapaksa formally resigns.

"The demand is very clear, people are still demanding (Rajapaksa's) resignation completely and confirmed in writing," said protester Dela Perez.

"So we hope that we will get this resignation from the government, including the prime minister and the president, in the coming days," he added.

Protesters took over Rajapaksa's office shortly after storming the palace on Saturday, vowing not to leave until he formally resigned.

The prime minister's private home in Colombo was set on fire on Saturday night.

The demonstrators have been organizing sit-ins outside the president's office for more than three months to demand his resignation, due to the unprecedented economic crisis the country is experiencing.

He accuses Rajapaksa of mismanaging the economy to such an extent that the country ran out of foreign currency to fund even basic imports, something that left the population of 22 million in a dire straits.

Wickremesinghe, an opposition lawmaker, assumed the premiership in May in an attempt to steer the country out of its political crisis, marking the sixth time he has been appointed to the post.

Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt in April and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a possible bailout.

Sri Lanka has almost used up its scarce supplies, mainly of oil.

The government ordered the closure of non-essential offices and schools to reduce traffic and save fuel.