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The photographer

A reporter who observed the consequences of a massive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has described how residents returned with disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The victims "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness described. They included those of police officers.

One individual was discovered headless - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he said. Several bodies showed what appeared to be stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during the security action against a criminal group - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The photographer reported that he was first alerted about the operation early on Tuesday by community members living in Alemão, who sent him messages informing him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness went to the healthcare center, where the casualties were arriving.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from going into the operation zone, where the operation was under way.

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

But Itan, who spent his childhood in the area, stated he managed to enter into the restricted zone, where he continued through the night.

He described that evening, area inhabitants commenced searching the elevated terrain that borders the Penha neighborhood from the adjacent Alemão area for relatives who had been missing following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the located casualties in a public space - and Itan's photos show the reaction of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of what occurred affected me a lot: the sorrow of loved ones, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, crying, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The governor of the state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 officers was aimed at stopping a criminal group called the criminal faction from increasing their control.

Originally, the Rio state government stated that sixty individuals and four police officers" had been killed in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates shows that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the total number of fatalities to be 132.

According to researchers, Red Command is the only criminal group that recently has succeeded to make territorial gains across the region.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction nationally, in company with a rival criminal group, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades.

According to correspondent Rafael Soares, who has long reported on crime in Rio extensively, Red Command "works as a system" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and serving as "operational allies".

The criminal group concentrates largely on drug trafficking, but also smuggles firearms, precious metals, fuel, beverages and tobacco.

According to the authorities, gang members have substantial firearms and police said that throughout the operation, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The state leader of the state, the political leader, labeled Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

But the number of people killed in the operation has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials stating they were "shocked".

In a media appearance the following day, Governor Castro defended the police force.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He continued that the events intensified as the individuals fought back: "It occurred of the counterattack they executed and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the bodies shown by residents in Penha had been "manipulated".

Via a statement on online platforms, he said that some of them had been taken of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces additionally stated that military attire, body armor, and weapons" were taken away from the bodies and displayed evidence seemingly depicting a man stripping military attire {off a corpse