Sri Lanka's former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled abroad after mass protests in July, has returned to the country, BBC News reported.

Rajapaksa had been staying in Thailand on a temporary visa and flew back home via Singapore.

Some Sri Lankan ministers are reported to have met him at the airport.

Rajapaksa's return is a sensitive issue for the new government which does not want more protests and will need to ensure his security.

Sri Lankan media reports say the government has identified a house in central Colombo for Gotabaya Rajapaksa, but it's not clear whether he will go straight there or to a secure military facility first.

A defense ministry spokesman told the BBC that Rajapaksa "would be given security as a former president."

Sri Lankans blame his government for the island's worst economic crisis in history. A collapse in foreign currency led to dire shortages of food and fuel.

Protests began in April, following a sharp increase in food and fuel costs.