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The photographer

A reporter who observed the results of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has recounted how local people brought back disfigured remains of those who had died.

The victims "continued arriving: the count kept increasing", Bruno Itan stated. They included law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was found without a head - additional victims were "severely damaged", he said. Numerous victims displayed what he described as stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were killed during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action in the city.

The photographer stated that residents first notified him concerning the action early on Tuesday by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter made his way to the healthcare center, where the casualties were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that law enforcement stopped members of the press from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the security measures were taking place.

"Security forces established a perimeter and announced: 'The press doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who grew up in that neighborhood, stated he managed to gain access past the security perimeter, where he stayed until dawn.

He described that Tuesday night, area inhabitants started looking the elevated terrain that separates Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for relatives who were unaccounted for after the operation.

Residents from the Penha area arranged the located casualties in a public space - and Itan's photos reveal the emotions of the people there.

"The harsh reality of the situation shook me profoundly: the pain of the families, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, crying, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

The eyewitness

The governor of the state declared that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 law enforcement members was designed to preventing a criminal group known as Red Command from expanding its territory.

Initially, state authorities stated that "60 suspects and four police officers" lost their lives in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that their "preliminary" count shows that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

Rio's public defender's office, that offers legal help to low-income residents, has calculated the overall count of people killed at 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has succeeded to make territorial gains throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view as a major illegal faction nationally, together with First Capital Command, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

Per Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city for years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "operational allies".

The gang focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking weapons, precious metals, energy resources, beverages and tobacco.

Based on official reports, organization members are well armed and officials reported that during the raid, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the region, the political leader, characterized gang affiliates as criminal extremists and described the four police officers fatally injured in the action as brave public servants.

But the number of fatalities in the security action has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "appalled".

In a media appearance the next day, Governor Castro supported law enforcement.

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

He added that the events worsened due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It resulted of the retaliation they carried out and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The state leader further reported that the victims shown by residents in Penha had been "manipulated".

In a post through digital channels, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame to security forces".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, body armor, and arms" were stripped from the casualties and displayed evidence seemingly depicting a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse