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Bruno Itan

A photographer who observed the consequences of a large-scale law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how community members came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", the photographer stated. Among them were security forces.

One of the bodies was found without a head - additional victims were "completely mutilated", he said. Many also had evidence of knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the deadliest such raid in the city.

The eyewitness explained that he initially learned about the operation early on Tuesday by community members of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The photographer traveled to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were arriving.

The photographer stated that security forces stopped members of the press from going into the affected area, where the police action was under way.

"Security forces established a perimeter and declared: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in the community, stated he succeeded to gain access past the security perimeter, where he stayed through the night.

He explained during the night, local residents commenced searching the elevated terrain that borders the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for family members who had been missing following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood organized the discovered victims in an open area - and Itan's photos display the emotions of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of what occurred shook me a lot: the grief of loved ones, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, crying, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The official of the region declared that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 security personnel was intended to halting a gang referred to as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

At first, local officials stated that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" lost their lives in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that early calculations suggests that 117 individuals lost their lives.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to the poor, has put the final tally of fatalities as 132.

According to researchers, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has been able to make territorial gains across the region.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs nationally, in company with another major gang, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

Based on reporter Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city over many years, the criminal organization "works as a system" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and becoming "commercial associates".

The gang concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, additionally trafficking firearms, gold, energy resources, beverages and tobacco.

According to the authorities, gang members have substantial firearms and officials reported that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of Rio state, the political leader, labeled gang affiliates as criminal extremists and called the four police officers fatally injured in the action as courageous individuals.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the operation has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "horrified".

At a news conference on Wednesday, the official defended the police force.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he said.

He added that the circumstances had escalated as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It resulted of the retaliation they executed and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The state leader also said that the casualties presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "manipulated".

Via a statement through digital channels, he asserted that some of them had been taken of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation onto the police".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force also said that tactical gear, vests, and firearms" were taken away from the bodies and showed footage seemingly depicting a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse