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The eyewitness

A photographer who witnessed the aftermath of a large-scale security raid in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how residents returned with mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The victims "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan described. Among them were those of police officers.

One of the bodies was found without a head - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he said. Many also had what appeared to be blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals were killed during the security action against a criminal group - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan reported that residents first notified him about the operation in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who contacted him alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The eyewitness went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the casualties were being brought.

The photographer stated that security forces blocked media personnel from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the security measures was under way.

"Security forces established a perimeter and declared: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in that neighborhood, explained he succeeded to gain access into the restricted zone, where he remained through the night.

He explained that Tuesday night, community members started looking the elevated terrain that borders the Penha neighborhood from the adjacent Alemão area for family members whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the recovered bodies in a square - the photographer's images display the emotions of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of what occurred impacted me deeply: the pain of loved ones, women collapsing, pregnant wives, weeping, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The governor of the region announced that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at stopping an illegal organization referred to as Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

Originally, state authorities claimed that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" had been killed in the raid.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates suggests that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to disadvantaged individuals, has put the total number of fatalities as 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that recently has been able to expand its territory across the region.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs nationally, in company with another major gang, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

According to reporter a specialist, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city for years, the gang "works as a system" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "commercial associates".

The organization engages primarily in illegal drug trade, while also dealing in weapons, valuable minerals, petroleum products, beverages and tobacco.

Based on official reports, gang members are well armed and police said that while the action was underway, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The official of the region, Cláudio Castro, labeled organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as "heroes".

However, the count of fatalities in the operation has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "appalled".

During a press briefing the following day, the official justified security actions.

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He further explained that the situation had escalated because the suspects resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the counterattack they executed and the excessive violence by those criminals."

The governor further reported that the casualties shown by residents in Penha had been "tampered with".

Through a message through digital channels, he asserted that certain victims had been removed of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation to security forces".

A police official of Rio's civil police force further reported that tactical gear, vests, and arms" had been removed from the bodies and showed footage seemingly depicting a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse