Several members of former Digicel Premier League champions, Tivoli Gardens, like their neighbours, are now battling hunger and fear, even amid the detention of two of their colleagues, as gunmen and members of the security forces continue their battle in the troubled area.

Veteran midfielder Steve Green and defender Kimarlee Flemming were scooped up by members of a police-military team during a dragnet shortly after the security team moved inside the west Kingston community, as the conflict, which was started as a result of an extradition request by United States authorities for area leader Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, reached fever pitch.

Former member of parliament and president of the Tivoli Gardens Football Club, Edward Seaga, updated The Gleaner when he was contacted yesterday.

House-to-house operations

"Two of the players were held as part of the dragnet being carried out (by security forces)," Seaga shared. "Steve Green and Kimarlee Flemming were both picked up and taken in when the security forces were doing their house-to-house operations in the community.

"They are, however, no longer in detention," Seaga continued. "They were released when it was found out that they were footballers."

Seaga went on to bemoan the fact that his club has not been able to offer any sort off assistance to the players, as the state of emergency, which was enforced by the Government on Sunday evening, came into effect.

"We are hoping that the situation will get better because of the deprivation of food and drink," said Seaga, who also served as prime minister from 1980-1989. "If we were able to get in there (Tivoli Gardens), the club would be able to provide assistance but we simply cannot get inside there. No one is allowed to go inside and they are not allowed to come out."

Seaga informed that just about half of the squad lives inside the community itself and that like everyone else in there, they are deeply troubled by the events of the last few days, which have seen the death of more than 40 individuals. He added that the other players of the squad who reside outside the community were fine, as far as he knew.