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The eyewitness

A photographer who witnessed the aftermath of a large-scale law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has described how residents came back with badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "kept coming: the count kept increasing", the photographer stated. Among them were security forces.

A particular victim had been decapitated - others were "completely mutilated", he reported. Several bodies showed evidence of knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen.

Bruno Itan explained that he initially learned concerning the action early on Tuesday by residents living in Alemão, who reached out telling him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter traveled to the healthcare center, where the victims were being brought.

The photographer stated that the police prevented journalists from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the operation was under way.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and said: 'The press are not allowed to pass'."

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

He reported during the night, community members commenced searching the mountainous area that separates the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for family members who had been missing since the police raid.

Community members living in Penha proceeded to place the located casualties in an open area - the documented evidence display the reaction of the people there.

"The brutality of what occurred impacted me profoundly: the grief of the families, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, weeping, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

The eyewitness

The governor of Rio state declared that the extensive law enforcement effort involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at stopping a gang called Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

Initially, state authorities stated that "60 suspects and four police officers" had been killed in the raid.

Authorities later reported that early calculations indicates that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has put the overall count of casualties as 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, in company with First Capital Command, with a background extending half a century.

According to correspondent Rafael Soares, who has long reported on crime in Rio extensively, Red Command "works as a system" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "operational allies".

The organization focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles firearms, gold, petroleum products, liquor and tobacco.

Based on official reports, gang members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that during the raid, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of the region, the government representative, labeled Red Command members as criminal extremists and described the four police officers fatally injured in the action as courageous individuals.

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities during the raid has received condemnation from UN human rights officials saying it was "shocked".

During a press briefing the next day, the official justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he said.

He continued that the events had escalated due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It resulted of the resistance they carried out and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The official also said that the victims shown by residents in Penha had been "tampered with".

Via a statement through digital channels, he claimed that particular individuals had been removed of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation onto the police".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force further reported that tactical gear, body armor, and arms" were stripped from the victims and presented video seemingly depicting a person stripping military attire {off a corpse