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The photographer

An eyewitness who witnessed the aftermath of an extensive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how local people returned with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "kept coming: the count kept increasing", the photographer stated. Among them were those of police officers.

One individual was found without a head - others were "completely mutilated", he said. Numerous victims displayed evidence of knife injuries.

More than 120 people were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the deadliest such raid in the city.

Bruno Itan stated that he initially learned concerning the action in the early hours by community members living in Alemão, who contacted him informing him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer traveled to the healthcare center, where the victims were coming in.

The photographer stated that the police blocked media personnel from accessing the operation zone, where the operation was under way.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and said: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who spent his childhood in the community, stated he succeeded to gain access past the security perimeter, where he remained through the night.

He reported that Tuesday night, local residents commenced searching the hillside which divides Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown after the operation.

Local people living in Penha proceeded to place the discovered victims in a square - the documented evidence display the reaction of those present.

"The violence of it all affected me profoundly: the grief of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, crying, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The state leader of the region announced that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at halting a gang referred to as Red Command from growing their influence.

Originally, state authorities stated that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" had been killed in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates shows that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has estimated the total number of people killed as 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has succeeded to increase its control across the region.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction in the country, together with a rival criminal group, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades.

According to Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city extensively, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "business partners".

The gang concentrates largely on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking guns, precious metals, petroleum products, liquor and tobacco.

Based on official reports, gang members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The governor of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and called the four police officers fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities in the operation has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities saying it was "horrified".

In a media appearance the following day, the state leader defended the police force.

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He added that the events worsened because the suspects fought back: "It resulted of the resistance they executed and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The governor also said that the victims presented by community members in the area were "altered".

Via a statement on social media, he asserted that particular individuals had been removed of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "in order to shift blame onto the police".

A police official representing security forces additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, body armor, and firearms" were stripped from the bodies and showed footage seemingly depicting a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse