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The photographer

A reporter who witnessed the consequences of a large-scale security raid in the metropolitan area has recounted how local people brought back disfigured remains of those who had died.

The victims "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan stated. Among them were those of police officers.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - others were "totally disfigured", he explained. Many also had what appeared to be knife injuries.

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

The photographer reported that he initially learned about the operation in the early hours by local people living in Alemão, who reached out informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness made his way to the healthcare center, where the victims were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces blocked media personnel from entering the operation zone, where the police action were occurring.

"Security forces established a perimeter and said: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

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

He explained that evening, local residents commenced searching the elevated terrain that separates the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the located casualties in a square - the photographer's images display the emotions of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of the situation shook me deeply: the sorrow of the families, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, weeping, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The state leader of the state stated that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 officers was designed to stopping a gang known as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

Originally, state authorities maintained that sixty individuals and four police officers" had been killed in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that early calculations shows that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has calculated the total number of people killed to be 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command is the only criminal group which in recent years has succeeded to expand its territory across the region.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, together with another major gang, with a background extending half a century.

Based on correspondent a specialist, who has been covering crime in Rio over many years, the gang "works as a system" with area gang leaders joining the organization and serving as "business partners".

The criminal group engages primarily in drug trafficking, but also smuggles guns, valuable minerals, fuel, alcohol smoking products.

According to the authorities, organization members are well armed and police said that during the raid, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of the state, Cláudio Castro, described gang affiliates as drug terrorists and described the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities during the raid has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "appalled".

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

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We wanted to arrest them all alive," he said.

He added that the circumstances intensified because the suspects fought back: "It occurred of the retaliation they implemented and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The governor further reported that the bodies displayed by locals in Penha had been "tampered with".

Through a message on social media, he asserted that certain victims had been removed of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "in order to shift blame onto the police".

A law enforcement representative from the police department also said that military attire, body armor, and arms" had been removed from the victims and presented video apparently demonstrating a man stripping military attire {off a corpse