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Bruno Itan

A reporter who documented the results of a massive law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has described how local people came back with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness described. Among them were security forces.

A particular victim had been decapitated - others were "completely mutilated", he explained. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be blade trauma.

More than 120 people were killed during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen.

The photographer reported that he initially learned to the raid Tuesday morning by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him telling him an armed confrontation was occurring.

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

The photographer stated that security forces blocked media personnel from accessing the affected area, where the police action were occurring.

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

However, the photographer, who was raised in that neighborhood, reported he was able to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he continued until dawn.

He explained that evening, area inhabitants started looking the hillside that borders Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for family members who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the discovered victims in an open area - and Itan's photos show the emotions of the people there.

"The violence of it all affected me deeply: the sorrow of loved ones, mothers fainting, women carrying children, sobbing, angry family members," the photographer recalled.

The photographer

The official of Rio state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was designed to halting a criminal group referred to as Red Command from expanding its territory.

Originally, local officials maintained that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that their "preliminary" count indicates that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to low-income residents, has put the overall count of casualties at 132.

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that recently has been able to expand its territory across the region.

Experts commonly view as a major illegal faction in Brazil, together with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Per reporter a specialist, who has long reported on crime in Rio extensively, the gang "functions as a network" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "commercial associates".

The gang focuses mainly on narcotics distribution, but also smuggles weapons, gold, petroleum products, beverages smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, gang members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that during the raid, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the region, the government representative, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and referred to the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

But the number of people killed in the operation has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "appalled".

During a press briefing the next day, the official supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We intended to arrest them all alive," he stated.

He further explained that the events had escalated because the suspects had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they carried out and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The official additionally stated that the casualties displayed by locals in the neighborhood were "altered".

Through a message on social media, he claimed that certain victims had been stripped of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi from the police department also said that "camouflage clothing, body armor, and weapons" were taken away from the victims and showed footage seemingly depicting a man stripping military attire {off a corpse