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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who documented the results of an extensive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has reported how local people came back with disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The victims "kept piling up: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness stated. Among them were those of police officers.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - additional victims were "severely damaged", he explained. Several bodies showed evidence of knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured during the security action on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan explained that he was first alerted to the raid Tuesday morning by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages alerting him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the casualties were being brought.

The photographer stated that security forces prevented journalists from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were occurring.

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

But Itan, who grew up in the community, stated he succeeded to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until dawn.

He explained that evening, local residents commenced searching the hillside that separates the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Community members from the Penha area organized the discovered victims in an open area - the photographer's images display the response of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of it all shook me deeply: the pain of the families, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, sobbing, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of the state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 officers was intended to preventing an illegal organization known as Red Command from growing their influence.

Initially, local officials claimed that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" had been killed in the operation.

Authorities later reported that early calculations shows that 117 alleged criminals lost their lives.

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

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization is the only criminal group that in the past few years has managed to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, in company with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

According to correspondent an expert, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city for years, the gang "works as a system" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "operational allies".

The gang focuses mainly on drug trafficking, while also dealing in weapons, gold, petroleum products, liquor and tobacco.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and police said that during the raid, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, characterized organization participants as drug terrorists and referred to the security forces killed in the raid as courageous individuals.

But the number of people killed in the operation has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "shocked".

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

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We intended to arrest them all alive," he said.

He added that the circumstances intensified because the suspects fought back: "It resulted of the counterattack they executed and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The governor additionally stated that the victims shown by residents in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on social media, he asserted that particular individuals had been taken of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that military attire, protective equipment, and weapons" had been removed from the victims and displayed evidence seemingly depicting a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse