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The eyewitness

A reporter who documented the aftermath of a large-scale security raid in the Brazilian city has reported how community members brought back disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "continued arriving: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness described. The total contained those of police officers.

A particular victim was discovered headless - while others appeared "severely damaged", he explained. Many also had evidence of stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the bloodiest action in the city.

The photographer stated that residents first notified him concerning the action Tuesday morning by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out telling him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness traveled to the healthcare center, where the victims were being brought.

The eyewitness reported that the police prevented journalists from entering the operation zone, where the police action were occurring.

"Police officers created a barrier and said: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in the community, reported he succeeded to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he continued through the night.

He described that Tuesday night, local residents began to search the elevated terrain that separates the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Community members of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the recovered bodies in an open area - and Itan's photos display the response of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of it all shook me profoundly: the sorrow of loved ones, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, weeping, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The official of Rio state stated that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 security personnel was intended to preventing a gang known as Red Command from growing their influence.

Initially, local officials stated that "60 suspects along with four officers" lost their lives in the raid.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count indicates that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has put the total number of people killed as 132.

According to researchers, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has managed to make territorial gains throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, alongside another major gang, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

Per reporter Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio for years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and serving as "business partners".

The organization focuses mainly on drug trafficking, while also dealing in weapons, valuable minerals, fuel, alcohol smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, gang members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The governor of Rio state, the government representative, described organization participants as criminal extremists and referred to the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities during the raid has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials stating they were "horrified".

In a media appearance the following day, the state leader justified security actions.

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He continued that the circumstances had escalated due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the counterattack they carried out and the disproportionate use of force by the illegal group."

The state leader also said that the casualties presented by community members in the neighborhood were "altered".

In a post through digital channels, he asserted that certain victims had been removed of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

A law enforcement representative from the police department further reported that military attire, body armor, and firearms" were stripped from the bodies and presented video seemingly depicting a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse