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The photographer

A reporter who documented the consequences of a large-scale security raid in the Brazilian city has described how local people brought back badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan stated. They included law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - others were "severely damaged", he explained. Many also had what appeared to be stab wounds.

More than 120 people lost their lives in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation in the city.

The photographer explained that he was first alerted concerning the action early on Tuesday by community members from the Alemão area, who contacted him telling him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the casualties were coming in.

Itan explained that security forces stopped members of the press from going into the affected area, where the operation were taking place.

"Security forces formed a line and announced: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the area, stated he managed to make his way past the security perimeter, where he stayed until dawn.

He described that Tuesday night, community members began to search the elevated terrain that separates the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Residents from the Penha area proceeded to place the discovered victims in a public space - the photographer's images reveal the emotions of those present.

"The violence of the situation affected me profoundly: the pain of relatives, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, crying, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The state leader of the region declared that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at stopping a gang known as the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

Originally, the Rio state government maintained that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured in the raid.

They have since said that initial estimates shows that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

Rio's public defender's office, that offers legal help to low-income residents, has put the overall count of fatalities at 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has succeeded to increase its control across the region.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, alongside another major gang, with a background extending half a century.

Per correspondent an expert, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio over many years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "commercial associates".

The gang concentrates largely on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking firearms, valuable minerals, petroleum products, alcohol smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, gang members possess significant weaponry and officials reported that while the action was underway, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the region, the political leader, characterized gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the four police officers who died during the operation as brave public servants.

But the number of casualties during the raid has received condemnation from international human rights authorities stating they were "shocked".

In a media appearance on Wednesday, the official defended the police force.

"There was no objective to kill anyone. We wanted to arrest them all alive," he declared.

He further explained that the events worsened due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It resulted of the counterattack they implemented and the disproportionate use of force by the illegal group."

The state leader further reported that the victims presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on online platforms, he asserted that some of them had been taken of military-style attire he said they had been wearing "to transfer accusation to security forces".

Felipe Curi representing security forces further reported that tactical gear, body armor, and arms" had been removed from the victims and showed footage seemingly depicting a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse