All out war - As Tivoli assault deepens, casualties rise

[FarCenter]

Soldiers and police yesterday launched a bloody offensive on Tivoli Gardens where heavily armed thugs barricaded themselves to protect the mini-republic of a reputed crime overlord, causing street battles to ripple across Jamaica's capital.

At least three members of the security forces have been slain in gunfights and 14 others injured in two days of wide-scale violence that has swept western Kingston and other areas where rogue alliances exist.

Up to press time last night, the Constabulary Communication Network reported that seven law-enforcement personnel were injured in the latest phase of operations. Six of the seven were shot, one succumbing to his injuries. That fatality was a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldier.

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Hundreds of lawmen were yesterday hunting alleged drug kingpin Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, who is wanted in the United States to answer to drug and gun charges. There have no reports whether Coke was nabbed or killed in the assault.

The security forces decided yesterday that the time to appeal to Coke supporters to clear the many barricades they had erected had expired.

But the armed thugs were not prepared to surrender, and police and soldiers had to take back the streets - barricade by barricade, block by block.


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By mid-morning when gunmen attempted to storm the Central Police Station, the order was issued for the police and soldiers to use deadly force to repel the criminals.

A short while later, a massive deployment from the JDF was seen on Harbour Street with soldiers taking up strategic positions.

"Time to take back the streets," said a motorist as he drove past the JDF team. And that was obviously the intention of the security forces.

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