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The photographer

An eyewitness who observed the results of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has recounted how residents brought back badly injured victims of those who had died.

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

A particular victim was found without a head - others were "completely mutilated", he reported. Many also had what appeared to be knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during the security action against a criminal group - the bloodiest action in the city.

Bruno Itan reported that he initially learned concerning the action early on Tuesday by community members living in Alemão, who reached out telling him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness traveled to a local medical facility, where the victims were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from entering the operation zone, where the security measures were taking place.

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

However, the photographer, who was raised in the community, explained he was able to enter into the restricted zone, where he continued until dawn.

He described that Tuesday night, area inhabitants started looking the mountainous area that separates the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for family members whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people from the Penha area arranged the recovered bodies in a public space - the photographer's images display the reaction of those present.

"The brutality of it all shook me a lot: the sorrow of loved ones, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, crying, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The governor of the state stated that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 officers was intended to stopping a gang referred to as Comando Vermelho from expanding its territory.

At first, state authorities maintained that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured during the action.

They have since said that early calculations indicates that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

Rio's public defender's office, that offers legal help to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the final tally of fatalities at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang is the only criminal group that recently has succeeded to increase its control throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered as a major illegal faction in the country, together with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades.

Per Brazilian journalist a specialist, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city over many years, Red Command "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and becoming "commercial associates".

The organization concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles weapons, valuable minerals, energy resources, alcohol smoking products.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and officials reported that during the raid, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of Rio state, the government representative, labeled organization participants as criminal extremists and described the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the operation has received condemnation from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "appalled".

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

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He added that the events intensified due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the counterattack they executed and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The governor also said that the victims shown by residents in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement through digital channels, he claimed that particular individuals had been stripped of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation to security forces".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force further reported that military attire, protective equipment, and firearms" were stripped from the casualties and presented video seemingly depicting an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse