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The photographer

A reporter who witnessed the consequences of a large-scale law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has recounted how local people returned with badly injured victims of those who had died.

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

One of the bodies was discovered headless - others were "severely damaged", he reported. Several bodies showed what appeared to be knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured during the security action against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen.

The photographer reported that he initially learned to the raid in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who reached out informing him gunfire had erupted.

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

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

"Police officers created a barrier and said: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

But Itan, who was raised in that neighborhood, reported he managed to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he continued through the night.

He reported that evening, community members started looking the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for relatives who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Residents from the Penha area arranged the located casualties in a public space - the documented evidence reveal the reaction of those present.

"The harsh reality of it all shook me profoundly: the grief of the families, women collapsing, expectant spouses, crying, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The photographer

The state leader of the state announced that the extensive law enforcement effort involving around 2,500 security personnel was designed to halting a criminal group called Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

Originally, local officials stated that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" were fatally injured in the operation.

They have since said that early calculations indicates that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to the poor, has calculated the total number of casualties as 132.

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that recently has managed to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction in the country, alongside a rival criminal group, and has a history extending half a century.

Based on correspondent an expert, who has long reported on illegal operations in Rio for years, Red Command "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and serving as "business partners".

The criminal group engages primarily in narcotics distribution, while also dealing in weapons, valuable minerals, fuel, beverages and tobacco.

Per law enforcement statements, organization members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The official of the state, Cláudio Castro, described Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and called the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

But the number of fatalities during the raid has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials stating they were "appalled".

At a news conference the next day, the official defended the police force.

"There was no objective to cause fatalities. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He continued that the situation worsened as the individuals fought back: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they carried out and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

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

In a post on online platforms, he said that certain victims had been taken of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation onto the police".

A police official of Rio's civil police force also said that tactical gear, protective equipment, and arms" were taken away from the bodies and displayed evidence seemingly depicting a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse