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The photographer

A photographer who observed the consequences of an extensive Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how residents came back with badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The victims "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness stated. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim was discovered headless - others were "totally disfigured", he explained. Several bodies showed what appeared to be stab wounds.

More than 120 people were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation in the city.

The photographer stated that he initially learned concerning the action in the early hours by local people from the Alemão area, who reached out telling him there was a shoot-out.

The reporter traveled to a local medical facility, where the bodies were arriving.

Itan explained that the police blocked media personnel from going into the operation zone, where the operation was under way.

"Security forces established a perimeter and said: 'Media representatives cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in the area, stated he managed to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he continued through the night.

He explained that Tuesday night, local residents began to search the hillside that borders the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for family members who had been missing after the operation.

Community members of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the recovered bodies in an open area - and Itan's photos reveal the response of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of it all shook me deeply: the pain of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, sobbing, furious relatives," the photographer recalled.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of the state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 security personnel was intended to halting a criminal group referred to as Red Command from expanding its territory.

Initially, state authorities maintained that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" lost their lives in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates shows that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has estimated the overall count of casualties at 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has been able to make territorial gains throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered as a major illegal faction nationally, alongside First Capital Command, with a background extending half a century.

According to correspondent an expert, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city over many years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and serving as "operational allies".

The gang engages primarily in drug trafficking, but also smuggles firearms, precious metals, fuel, liquor smoking products.

According to the authorities, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and officials reported that throughout the operation, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the region, the government representative, labeled Red Command members as criminal extremists and called the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as "heroes".

But the number of people killed in the security action has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "shocked".

At a news conference the next day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"There was no objective to kill anyone. We intended to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He continued that the events had escalated as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the resistance they implemented and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

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

Through a message on online platforms, he claimed that some of them had been stripped of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

A police official of Rio's civil police force further reported that military attire, protective equipment, and arms" were stripped from the victims and presented video seemingly depicting a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse