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The photographer

An eyewitness who observed the aftermath of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has described how community members came back with disfigured remains of those who had died.

The casualties "kept piling up: the numbers kept rising", the photographer stated. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was found without a head - while others appeared "severely damaged", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what he described as stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were killed during the security action against a criminal group - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness reported that he initially learned concerning the action in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who contacted him alerting him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness traveled to the healthcare center, where the bodies were arriving.

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

"Law enforcement personnel created a barrier and announced: 'The press are not allowed to pass'."

But Itan, who was raised in that neighborhood, stated he was able to enter into the restricted zone, where he remained until dawn.

He explained that Tuesday night, community members commenced searching the mountainous area that borders the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for relatives who had been missing since the police raid.

Local people from the Penha area proceeded to place the discovered victims in an open area - the documented evidence show the reaction of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of it all shook me profoundly: the grief of the families, mothers fainting, women carrying children, crying, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The photographer

The official of Rio state declared that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was intended to halting a gang known as Red Command from increasing their control.

Initially, state authorities stated that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" were fatally injured during the action.

They have since said that initial estimates suggests that 117 individuals lost their lives.

Rio's public defender's office, that offers legal help to the poor, has put the overall count of fatalities at 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has been able to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs nationally, alongside another major gang, with a background spanning over five decades.

Per reporter an expert, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio extensively, the gang "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and becoming "commercial associates".

The criminal group focuses mainly on drug trafficking, while also dealing in weapons, precious metals, petroleum products, liquor cigarettes.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and police said that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The governor of the state, Cláudio Castro, characterized Red Command members as drug terrorists and referred to the security forces who died during the operation as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities in the operation has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities saying it was "horrified".

In a media appearance on Wednesday, Governor Castro justified security actions.

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

He continued that the events had escalated as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the counterattack they implemented and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the bodies displayed by locals in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on online platforms, he claimed that particular individuals had been taken of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame onto the police".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force also said that tactical gear, body armor, and arms" were stripped from the victims and presented video apparently demonstrating a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse