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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who observed the aftermath of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has described how community members came back with badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer reported. They included those of police officers.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - others were "totally disfigured", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be blade trauma.

More than 120 people lost their lives in the Tuesday operation on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan reported that he was first alerted to the raid Tuesday morning by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out informing him gunfire had erupted.

The eyewitness made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the victims were coming in.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from going into the affected area, where the operation were occurring.

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

However, the photographer, who spent his childhood in the community, reported he succeeded to gain access past the security perimeter, where he remained through the night.

He explained that evening, community members began to search the elevated terrain that separates the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood organized the discovered victims in a public space - and Itan's photos show the response of those present.

"The harsh reality of what occurred affected me profoundly: the sorrow of loved ones, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, crying, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The state leader of the region stated that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 officers was intended to stopping a gang called Red Command from increasing their control.

Initially, the Rio state government claimed that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" lost their lives during the action.

Authorities later reported that early calculations suggests that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the overall count of people killed at 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs nationally, in company with First Capital Command, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

Per reporter an expert, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio over many years, the gang "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and becoming "business partners".

The gang concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, while also dealing in weapons, gold, fuel, liquor smoking products.

Based on official reports, gang members are well armed and officials reported that during the raid, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, characterized gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and called the security forces who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

Nevertheless, the total of people killed in the security action has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "horrified".

During a press briefing the following day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We intended to detain everyone safely," he said.

He added that the events had escalated due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the resistance they executed and the excessive violence from the gang members."

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

Via a statement on online platforms, he asserted that particular individuals had been removed of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "in order to shift blame onto the police".

A police official of Rio's civil police force also said that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and firearms" had been removed from the bodies and presented video appearing to show an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse