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Bruno Itan

A photographer who witnessed the consequences of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has described how residents came back with mutilated bodies of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer described. The total contained security forces.

One individual was discovered headless - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he explained. Numerous victims displayed evidence of blade trauma.

More than 120 people were fatally injured during the security action against a criminal group - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness reported that he initially learned about the operation in the early hours by local people living in Alemão, who sent him messages alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter made his way to a local medical facility, where the bodies were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that security forces prevented journalists from entering the operation zone, where the security measures were taking place.

"Security forces created a barrier and announced: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in that neighborhood, stated he was able to make his way into the restricted zone, where he continued until dawn.

He reported that evening, community members started looking the mountainous area that borders the Penha neighborhood from the adjacent Alemão area for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the discovered victims in an open area - the documented evidence display the reaction of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of the situation affected me a lot: the sorrow of relatives, women collapsing, pregnant wives, weeping, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The official of Rio state announced that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 officers was intended to preventing an illegal organization referred to as Red Command from growing their influence.

At first, local officials maintained that sixty individuals along with four officers" had been killed in the raid.

They have since said that initial estimates shows that 117 alleged criminals lost their lives.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to the poor, has put the total number of casualties to be 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang is the only criminal group that recently has been able to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations in the country, in company with a rival criminal group, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

According to Brazilian journalist a specialist, who has been covering criminal activity in the city over many years, the gang "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders joining the organization and serving as "operational allies".

The gang focuses mainly on narcotics distribution, additionally trafficking weapons, precious metals, energy resources, alcohol cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates are well armed and authorities stated that during the raid, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The official of the state, the political leader, characterized organization participants as drug terrorists and referred to the four police officers who died during the operation as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties during the raid has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "appalled".

At a news conference the next day, the official supported law enforcement.

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he said.

He continued that the circumstances intensified due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the resistance they implemented and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The state leader further reported that the victims displayed by locals in the area had been "tampered with".

Through a message on online platforms, he said that particular individuals had been removed of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces additionally stated that tactical gear, vests, and weapons" had been removed from the bodies and displayed evidence appearing to show a person stripping military attire {off a corpse