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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who documented the consequences of a massive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how local people came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the photographer stated. The total contained those of police officers.

One of the bodies had been decapitated - while others appeared "severely damaged", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what he described as stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were killed during the security action on a criminal gang - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan reported that he initially learned about the operation in the early hours by local people from the Alemão area, who reached out alerting him there was a shoot-out.

The reporter made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were coming in.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from accessing the operation zone, where the operation was under way.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and declared: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who grew up in that neighborhood, reported he succeeded to gain access past the security perimeter, where he continued until the next morning.

He described that evening, community members commenced searching the elevated terrain that borders Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for family members whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Residents from the Penha area proceeded to place the located casualties in an open area - and Itan's photos reveal the response of those present.

"The violence of the situation affected me deeply: the pain of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, crying, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The official of the state declared that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 officers was designed to halting a gang referred to as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Originally, state authorities stated that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the raid.

They have since said that their "preliminary" count shows that 117 individuals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the total number of fatalities as 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has been able to increase its control throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs nationally, together with First Capital Command, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

Based on correspondent a specialist, who has long reported on crime in Rio over many years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and becoming "operational allies".

The organization engages primarily in drug trafficking, additionally trafficking weapons, valuable minerals, petroleum products, liquor cigarettes.

According to the authorities, gang members possess significant weaponry and police said that throughout the operation, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The governor of the region, Cláudio Castro, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and called the four police officers who died during the operation as brave public servants.

But the number of fatalities in the security action has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials saying it was "horrified".

In a media appearance the next day, the official justified security actions.

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We intended to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He added that the circumstances intensified due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It resulted of the retaliation they executed and the excessive violence by those criminals."

The state leader also said that the bodies shown by residents in the area had been "manipulated".

In a post on social media, he asserted that particular individuals had been removed of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

Felipe Curi from the police department additionally stated that military attire, protective equipment, and weapons" had been removed from the bodies and displayed evidence appearing to show an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse