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The eyewitness

A photographer who observed the consequences of a large-scale security raid in Rio de Janeiro has reported how residents brought back badly injured victims of those who had died.

The bodies "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness stated. They included law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim was discovered headless - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he reported. Numerous victims displayed evidence of stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were killed in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the deadliest such raid in the city.

Bruno Itan explained that residents first notified him to the raid in the early hours by community members of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him telling him there was a shoot-out.

The reporter made his way to the healthcare center, where the bodies were arriving.

Itan explained that the police stopped members of the press from going into the affected area, where the security measures were occurring.

"Police officers created a barrier and announced: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in that neighborhood, reported he managed to make his way into the restricted zone, where he continued until dawn.

He reported during the night, local residents began to search the mountainous area that borders the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people from the Penha area arranged the located casualties in an open area - and Itan's photos show the response of those present.

"The harsh reality of what occurred shook me deeply: the pain of the families, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, sobbing, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The official of Rio state announced that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 officers was designed to halting a gang called Red Command from growing their influence.

At first, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that early calculations shows that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to disadvantaged individuals, has put the overall count of people killed at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, in company with First Capital Command, and has a history extending half a century.

Based on Brazilian journalist a specialist, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio extensively, the gang "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and acting as "business partners".

The gang engages primarily in narcotics distribution, while also dealing in weapons, gold, petroleum products, beverages and tobacco.

According to the authorities, organization members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of the region, the political leader, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and referred to the security forces fatally injured in the action as brave public servants.

But the number of fatalities in the operation has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "shocked".

During a press briefing on Wednesday, the state leader supported law enforcement.

"We did not plan to kill anyone. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He added that the situation intensified as the individuals fought back: "It resulted of the counterattack they implemented and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The official also said that the bodies presented by community members in the area had been "manipulated".

In a post through digital channels, he said that particular individuals had been taken of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

A police official from the police department additionally stated that tactical gear, body armor, and weapons" were stripped from the victims and presented video apparently demonstrating an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse