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Bruno Itan

An eyewitness who observed the aftermath of a massive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how residents brought back disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "kept coming: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness described. They included those of police officers.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - additional victims were "severely damaged", he explained. Several bodies showed what appeared to be stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were killed in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

The photographer stated that he was first alerted to the raid Tuesday morning by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter made his way to a local medical facility, where the casualties were being brought.

Itan explained that the police stopped members of the press from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the police action were occurring.

"Security forces formed a line and announced: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in that neighborhood, reported he managed to gain access into the restricted zone, where he continued through the night.

He reported that Tuesday night, area inhabitants began to search the hillside that borders Penha from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones who had been missing after the operation.

Community members from the Penha area arranged the recovered bodies in a square - the documented evidence show the response of the people there.

"The brutality of it all shook me profoundly: the pain of loved ones, women collapsing, expectant spouses, weeping, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The official of the region declared that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 security personnel was aimed at halting a criminal group referred to as Red Command from expanding its territory.

Originally, state authorities claimed that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured during the action.

They have since said that initial estimates indicates that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has calculated the final tally of people killed as 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has been able to increase its control across the region.

It is widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, in company with another major gang, and has a history spanning over five decades.

Based on reporter a specialist, who has been covering criminal activity in the city over many years, the criminal organization "works as a system" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and becoming "commercial associates".

The organization engages primarily in drug trafficking, but also smuggles guns, precious metals, fuel, beverages smoking products.

Based on official reports, organization members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, labeled organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and described the security forces who died during the operation as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of casualties during the raid has received condemnation from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "shocked".

During a press briefing the following day, the state leader defended the police force.

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We wanted to arrest them all alive," he stated.

He further explained that the circumstances had escalated due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the counterattack they executed and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the victims shown by residents in the neighborhood were "altered".

Through a message on online platforms, he claimed that particular individuals had been removed of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force also said that "camouflage clothing, vests, and arms" were stripped from the casualties and presented video seemingly depicting an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse