Joint Force clears air... says ZOSO remains in Mount Salem

The Joint Force of the Zone of Special Operations has rejected reports that it has dismantled its intervention in Mount Salem, St James.

In a tweet Monday evening, the joint force sought to explain the removal of barricades and some of the security personnel from the posts they have held since Friday when the zone was declared.

"The curfew order expired today and we are now transitioning to cordons. #ZOSO remains in place," the Joint Force tweeted.

The Joint Force also said police and soldiers are not leaving Mount Salem.

The transition from a curfew to a cordon means that movement is being restricted in smaller spaces for more detailed searches.

In declaring Mount Salem as the first Zone of Special Operation on Friday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness sought to explain that the state had to intervene because of the rampant lawlessness there.

He says the operations will last for 60 days.

The police have claimed that since the start of the year, there were 54 murders in Mount Salem, which is also the home of 12 gangs.

But local political representatives and residents have rejected those claims.

READ: Faulty data 

They say no more than 12 people have been killed in Mount Salem since January and only about four gangs have links in their area.

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