Gotabaya Rajapaksa has claimed victory in the Sri Lankan presidential polls as his main opponent Sajith Premadasa of the ruling United National Party has conceded defeat. Rajapaksa, who has been credited for having crushed the Tamil Tigers 10 years ago, focused his campaign on his credentials as the defence secretary that brought a close to the bloody 26-year civil war, while also calling for an overhaul of economic policies implemented by Premadasa's UNP during its five years in charge of parliament. Rajapaksa, a former defence secretary and brother of two-time former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, based his campaign for on providing strong leadership on national security issues, following coordinated bombings in April that killed at least 269 people.