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Bruno Itan

An eyewitness who witnessed the consequences of a massive security raid in the Brazilian city has reported how residents returned with mutilated bodies of people who lost their lives.

The victims "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness reported. Among them were security forces.

A particular victim was discovered headless - others were "totally disfigured", he explained. Numerous victims displayed evidence of blade trauma.

More than 120 people were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

The photographer stated that he was first alerted about the operation early on Tuesday by residents living in Alemão, who contacted him informing him there was a shoot-out.

The reporter traveled to the healthcare center, where the victims were arriving.

Itan explained that security forces stopped members of the press from accessing the affected area, where the operation was under way.

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

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in the community, reported he managed to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he remained through the night.

He explained that Tuesday night, community members started looking the mountainous area that separates the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for family members who were unaccounted for since the police raid.

Residents from the Penha area organized the located casualties in a square - the documented evidence display the response of the people there.

"The violence of what occurred affected me profoundly: the pain of the families, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, crying, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The official of the state declared that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 officers was intended to stopping an illegal organization referred to as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

Initially, local officials maintained that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" had been killed in the operation.

Authorities later reported that early calculations shows that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has calculated the overall count of people killed as 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has been able to increase its control throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered as a major illegal faction nationally, together with a rival criminal group, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Per reporter an expert, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio extensively, the gang "functions as a network" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and serving as "operational allies".

The criminal group engages primarily in narcotics distribution, while also dealing in firearms, precious metals, petroleum products, alcohol smoking products.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and officials reported that throughout the operation, they faced assaults via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, characterized Red Command members as criminal extremists and described the four police officers who died during the operation as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of people killed in the security action has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "shocked".

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

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he said.

He added that the events worsened as the individuals fought back: "It resulted of the resistance they carried out and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The official further reported that the casualties presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "manipulated".

Through a message on social media, he said that particular individuals had been removed of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

A police official representing security forces additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and firearms" were taken away from the bodies and presented video apparently demonstrating a person stripping military attire {off a corpse