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Bruno Itan

A photographer who witnessed the results of a massive security raid in the metropolitan area has reported how community members returned with badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The victims "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer stated. The total contained those of police officers.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - others were "completely mutilated", he explained. Several bodies showed what he described as blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The photographer reported that he initially learned concerning the action in the early hours by local people living in Alemão, who contacted him alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer went to the healthcare center, where the victims were arriving.

The photographer stated that security forces stopped members of the press from accessing the affected area, where the police action were occurring.

"Security forces formed a line and said: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the area, explained he succeeded to gain access into the restricted zone, where he stayed until dawn.

He described that Tuesday night, community members began to search the elevated terrain which divides the Penha neighborhood from the adjacent Alemão area for family members who had been missing after the operation.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the discovered victims in a square - and Itan's photos show the emotions of those present.

"The harsh reality of it all impacted me deeply: the sorrow of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, weeping, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The governor of Rio state announced that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 security personnel was aimed at halting a criminal group called Red Command from increasing their control.

Initially, the Rio state government maintained that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the raid.

They have since said that early calculations indicates that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to the poor, has calculated the final tally of casualties at 132.

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that recently has been able to increase its control throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, alongside a rival criminal group, with a background spanning over five decades.

Per Brazilian journalist a specialist, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city over many years, the gang "works as a system" with area gang leaders joining the organization and serving as "business partners".

The criminal group concentrates largely on drug trafficking, while also dealing in firearms, valuable minerals, petroleum products, beverages cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, gang members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The official of the region, the political leader, described Red Command members as criminal extremists and referred to the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

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

During a press briefing the next day, Governor Castro defended the police force.

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We wanted to arrest them all alive," he declared.

He further explained that the events intensified as the individuals fought back: "It occurred of the resistance they carried out and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The governor also said that the bodies displayed by locals in Penha had been "tampered with".

In a post on social media, he said that certain victims had been removed of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "in order to shift blame to security forces".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces further reported that military attire, vests, and firearms" had been removed from the bodies and displayed evidence seemingly depicting a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse