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The eyewitness

A photographer who observed the results of an extensive security raid in the metropolitan area has described how community members brought back mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", the photographer reported. The total contained security forces.

One individual was discovered headless - additional victims were "completely mutilated", he explained. Many also had what appeared to be stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan reported that he was first alerted about the operation Tuesday morning by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages informing him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer went to a local medical facility, where the casualties were arriving.

The eyewitness reported that the police stopped members of the press from accessing the affected area, where the security measures were occurring.

"Police officers established a perimeter and declared: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

But Itan, who was raised in the area, stated he succeeded to enter past the security perimeter, where he continued through the night.

He explained that Tuesday night, local residents commenced searching the elevated terrain which divides Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for family members whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Local people from the Penha area proceeded to place the discovered victims in a public space - the documented evidence reveal the response of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of it all affected me deeply: the pain of the families, mothers fainting, women carrying children, weeping, angry family members," the photographer recalled.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of Rio state stated that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 officers was designed to halting an illegal organization referred to as the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

At first, state authorities maintained that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" were fatally injured during the action.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates indicates that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has put the overall count of casualties to be 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has managed to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, alongside another major gang, and has a history extending half a century.

Based on correspondent Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio for years, the gang "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "business partners".

The organization focuses mainly on drug trafficking, while also dealing in guns, valuable minerals, petroleum products, alcohol cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and police said that while the action was underway, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of Rio state, the government representative, described Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and described the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as courageous individuals.

But the number of people killed during the raid has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "shocked".

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

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

He added that the circumstances intensified due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It resulted of the resistance they implemented and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The official further reported that the bodies presented by community members in Penha were "altered".

In a post through digital channels, he said that some of them had been taken of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation onto the police".

A law enforcement representative from the police department further reported that tactical gear, vests, and firearms" had been removed from the bodies and presented video seemingly depicting an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse