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Bruno Itan

A photographer who witnessed the consequences of a large-scale security raid in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how community members came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The victims "continued arriving: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness described. They included security forces.

One individual was discovered headless - additional victims were "severely damaged", he said. Several bodies showed what appeared to be knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

The photographer explained that residents first notified him about the operation Tuesday morning by local people from the Alemão area, who reached out informing him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were coming in.

The photographer stated that the police prevented journalists from going into the affected area, where the operation was under way.

"Police officers established a perimeter and declared: 'The press doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who spent his childhood in the community, stated he succeeded to make his way past the security perimeter, where he continued until dawn.

He explained during the night, local residents commenced searching the elevated terrain which divides Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for family members who had been missing following the security action.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the recovered bodies in an open area - the photographer's images display the reaction of those present.

"The brutality of what occurred impacted me deeply: the grief of the families, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, sobbing, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of Rio state declared that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 security personnel was intended to halting an illegal organization called Red Command from increasing their control.

Originally, local officials stated that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured during the action.

Authorities later reported that early calculations suggests that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to the poor, has estimated the final tally of fatalities to be 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has succeeded to make territorial gains throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, in company with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

Per Brazilian journalist a specialist, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio for years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "commercial associates".

The organization concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles weapons, gold, fuel, liquor smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates are well armed and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, characterized organization participants as criminal extremists and referred to the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

However, the count of fatalities in the security action has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "shocked".

At a news conference on Wednesday, the official defended the police force.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He added that the situation intensified as the individuals fought back: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they implemented and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The state leader additionally stated that the victims shown by residents in the area were "altered".

Through a message on social media, he claimed that particular individuals had been taken of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation to security forces".

Felipe Curi from the police department further reported that "camouflage clothing, body armor, and arms" had been removed from the bodies and showed footage appearing to show a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse