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The eyewitness

A photographer who observed the results of a large-scale security raid in the metropolitan area has described how residents brought back badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The victims "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan stated. Among them were security forces.

A particular victim was found without a head - while others appeared "severely damaged", he explained. Several bodies showed evidence of knife injuries.

More than 120 people were killed during the security action on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness reported that he initially learned about the operation in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who contacted him informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The reporter traveled to a local medical facility, where the bodies were arriving.

The photographer stated that the police blocked media personnel from accessing the operation zone, where the security measures were occurring.

"Police officers formed a line and declared: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in that neighborhood, explained he was able to enter past the security perimeter, where he stayed until dawn.

He reported that evening, local residents started looking the mountainous area which divides the Penha neighborhood from the adjacent Alemão area for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood organized the discovered victims in an open area - the photographer's images show the response of the people there.

"The harsh reality of the situation affected me a lot: the pain of relatives, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, weeping, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The state leader of the state announced that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 officers was designed to preventing an illegal organization known as Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

Originally, the Rio state government maintained that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates indicates that 117 individuals were fatally injured.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has calculated the final tally of fatalities as 132.

According to researchers, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has managed to increase its control throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view as a major illegal faction in Brazil, in company with a rival criminal group, with a background extending half a century.

According to correspondent a specialist, who has long reported on crime in Rio over many years, Red Command "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and becoming "commercial associates".

The gang concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, while also dealing in weapons, valuable minerals, fuel, liquor smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of Rio state, the political leader, labeled Red Command members as drug terrorists and described the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as "heroes".

But the number of people killed during the raid has received condemnation from UN human rights officials stating they were "shocked".

During a press briefing the next day, the official defended the police force.

"There was no objective to kill anyone. We intended to detain everyone safely," he said.

He further explained that the circumstances had escalated due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the retaliation they carried out and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The governor additionally stated that the victims presented by community members in the area were "altered".

Via a statement on social media, he said that some of them had been taken of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation to security forces".

Felipe Curi from the police department additionally stated that military attire, protective equipment, and firearms" were taken away from the victims and presented video seemingly depicting an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse