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The eyewitness

A reporter who documented the consequences of an extensive security raid in the Brazilian city has recounted how residents brought back badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The victims "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer reported. The total contained security forces.

A particular victim was discovered headless - others were "completely mutilated", he said. Many also had what he described as blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation in the city.

Bruno Itan reported that residents first notified him about the operation early on Tuesday by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him telling him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer made his way to the healthcare center, where the victims were coming in.

The photographer stated that the police stopped members of the press from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel created a barrier and said: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in the area, explained he succeeded to enter past the security perimeter, where he remained until dawn.

He described that Tuesday night, area inhabitants commenced searching the mountainous area which divides the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives who had been missing following the security action.

Community members of the Penha neighbourhood organized the discovered victims in a square - the photographer's images display the emotions of those present.

"The brutality of the situation impacted me deeply: the sorrow of the families, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, crying, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of the state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 officers was aimed at stopping a criminal group known as Red Command from increasing their control.

At first, state authorities claimed that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" had been killed during the action.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates suggests that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to low-income residents, has calculated the final tally of people killed at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization is the only criminal group that in the past few years has managed to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

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

Based on reporter a specialist, who has long reported on illegal operations in Rio over many years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "operational allies".

The criminal group concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, additionally trafficking firearms, gold, energy resources, liquor smoking products.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and authorities stated that during the raid, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of Rio state, the government representative, characterized gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and described the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as brave public servants.

But the number of casualties in the security action has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "shocked".

At a news conference the following day, Governor Castro supported law enforcement.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He further explained that the situation intensified due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they implemented and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the casualties shown by residents in the area were "altered".

Through a message through digital channels, he asserted that some of them had been removed of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative from the police department additionally stated that military attire, protective equipment, and arms" were taken away from the casualties and displayed evidence apparently demonstrating a man stripping military attire {off a corpse