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The eyewitness

A photographer who witnessed the results of a massive law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has recounted how community members returned with badly injured victims of those who had died.

The victims "kept coming: the count kept increasing", Bruno Itan stated. The total contained law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim had been decapitated - additional victims were "totally disfigured", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals were killed during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

The photographer reported that he was first alerted about the operation in the early hours by community members from the Alemão area, who contacted him telling him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer went to a local medical facility, where the victims were coming in.

The photographer stated that security forces prevented journalists from entering the affected area, where the security measures were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and said: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in the area, reported he managed to gain access into the restricted zone, where he stayed through the night.

He reported that Tuesday night, local residents started looking the mountainous area that borders the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the located casualties in a public space - and Itan's photos reveal the emotions of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of the situation shook me a lot: the sorrow of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, weeping, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The official of Rio state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 officers was intended to stopping a criminal group known as Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

At first, state authorities claimed that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured in the operation.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates shows that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has estimated the total number of fatalities at 132.

According to researchers, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has managed to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs nationally, in company with a rival criminal group, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Based on reporter Rafael Soares, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city for years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and acting as "commercial associates".

The criminal group engages primarily in illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking weapons, valuable minerals, petroleum products, alcohol smoking products.

According to the authorities, organization members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that during the raid, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the state, the political leader, labeled gang affiliates as criminal extremists and described the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as courageous individuals.

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities during the raid has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities saying it was "horrified".

In a media appearance on Wednesday, the official supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He added that the events worsened as the individuals had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they carried out and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The governor additionally stated that the casualties presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Through a message on online platforms, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force further reported that military attire, vests, and firearms" had been removed from the victims and showed footage seemingly depicting a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse