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Bruno Itan

A reporter who witnessed the results of an extensive law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has described how community members came back with badly injured victims of those who had died.

The casualties "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness described. They included law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - additional victims were "severely damaged", he reported. Many also had what appeared to be blade trauma.

More than 120 people were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

The photographer stated that he was first alerted to the raid Tuesday morning by residents living in Alemão, who sent him messages telling him gunfire had erupted.

The eyewitness traveled to a local medical facility, where the casualties were being brought.

The eyewitness reported that the police blocked media personnel from entering the affected area, where the police action were occurring.

"Police officers created a barrier and declared: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in that neighborhood, explained he managed to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he stayed until dawn.

He described that evening, area inhabitants commenced searching the hillside that borders the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones who had been missing following the security action.

Community members living in Penha proceeded to place the located casualties in an open area - the photographer's images reveal the emotions of the people there.

"The harsh reality of what occurred shook me a lot: the grief of relatives, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, weeping, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The governor of Rio state declared that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 officers was designed to stopping an illegal organization called the criminal faction from increasing their control.

Initially, local officials claimed that "60 suspects and four police officers" were fatally injured in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates suggests that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to low-income residents, has calculated the total number of fatalities at 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that recently has succeeded to increase its control across the region.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction in the country, alongside a rival criminal group, with a background spanning over five decades.

Based on Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares, who has long reported on illegal operations in Rio over many years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "business partners".

The gang focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, while also dealing in weapons, precious metals, fuel, beverages cigarettes.

According to the authorities, organization members are well armed and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of Rio state, the political leader, labeled gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the security forces fatally injured in the action as courageous individuals.

But the number of people killed in the operation has received condemnation from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "appalled".

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

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he said.

He added that the events had escalated due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It occurred of the counterattack they carried out and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The governor also said that the victims presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on social media, he asserted that certain victims had been stripped of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

A police official representing security forces further reported that tactical gear, vests, and arms" had been removed from the casualties and presented video seemingly depicting an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse