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The photographer

An eyewitness who witnessed the consequences of a massive law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has reported how community members came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan described. The total contained security forces.

One individual had been decapitated - while others appeared "severely damaged", he said. Numerous victims displayed what he described as knife injuries.

More than 120 people were killed during the security action on a criminal gang - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness reported that he initially learned about the operation early on Tuesday by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him telling him gunfire had erupted.

The eyewitness made his way to a local medical facility, where the victims were arriving.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were occurring.

"Security forces created a barrier and said: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the community, explained he succeeded to enter past the security perimeter, where he stayed until the next morning.

He reported during the night, area inhabitants began to search the mountainous area that borders Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Community members of the Penha neighbourhood organized the located casualties in an open area - the photographer's images show the emotions of those present.

"The brutality of it all impacted me deeply: the sorrow of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, sobbing, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of the state stated that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 security personnel was designed to halting an illegal organization called the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

Originally, the Rio state government claimed that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the operation.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the final tally of people killed as 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that recently has succeeded to increase its control across the region.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs in the country, together with another major gang, with a background spanning over five decades.

Based on reporter an expert, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio for years, the criminal organization "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and serving as "commercial associates".

The organization concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, but also smuggles guns, valuable minerals, petroleum products, alcohol cigarettes.

Based on official reports, organization members possess significant weaponry and police said that during the raid, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the state, the government representative, described Red Command members as drug terrorists and called the security forces fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

But the number of people killed during the raid has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials stating they were "horrified".

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

"We did not plan to kill anyone. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He further explained that the events intensified because the suspects had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the resistance they implemented and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The official further reported that the casualties shown by residents in the neighborhood had been "manipulated".

Via a statement on online platforms, he said that particular individuals had been taken of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative from the police department also said that tactical gear, vests, and arms" had been removed from the casualties and displayed evidence apparently demonstrating an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse