From Sunday to Tuesday, the area of West Kingston in Jamaica was a war zone as security forces clashed with gunmen and gangsters loyal to Christopher Dudus Coke who the United States wants extradited. Tonight, the violence has subsided but the civilian casualties are high. Kalilah Enriquez who works as a television reporter for CVM in Jamaica told us as much in a phone interview this evening.
Kalilah Enriquez, CVM News - Jamaica
"There have been 500 persons detained and the official body count is 44 that is up to this afternoon. We suspect however that, that number is slightly higher than 44.But going around the city this afternoon things are looking a lot more in harmony than the last couple of days."
Jules Vasquez
"Ok, now, having applied maximum force, is it the indication that the gunmen, the gangs who support Dudus that they have been made to retreat or that their numbers have been sundered with 500 people arrested?"
Kalilah Enriquez
"It appears that the security forces now have the situation under control, however the main source of the operation and the main reason for the operation was the apprehension of Christopher Dudus who is still at large. We are not certain how long this operation will continue and where it now stands. They don't know where he is."
To summarize, 44 are confirmed dead, 500 arrested and the target of the entire operation, Dudus is still at large.
