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The photographer

A reporter who witnessed the aftermath of a massive law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has recounted how residents returned with badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", the photographer reported. They included law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies had been decapitated - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he said. Numerous victims displayed what he described as blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

The photographer reported that he initially learned concerning the action early on Tuesday by residents from the Alemão area, who reached out telling him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness traveled to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the casualties were arriving.

Itan explained that the police blocked media personnel from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel established a perimeter and said: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in that neighborhood, stated he managed to enter into the restricted zone, where he remained until the next morning.

He described that evening, area inhabitants commenced searching the elevated terrain which divides the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown after the operation.

Residents living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in a square - and Itan's photos show the reaction of those present.

"The brutality of it all impacted me profoundly: the pain of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, crying, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The official of the region declared that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 security personnel was aimed at preventing a criminal group called the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Initially, state authorities maintained that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" had been killed in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that early calculations shows that 117 individuals lost their lives.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to the poor, has estimated the overall count of casualties as 132.

Based on expert analysis, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has been able to expand its territory across the region.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs in the country, together with First Capital Command, and has a history spanning over five decades.

According to correspondent a specialist, who has long reported on illegal operations in Rio over many years, the gang "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and becoming "commercial associates".

The gang engages primarily in illegal drug trade, but also smuggles firearms, gold, petroleum products, liquor cigarettes.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and officials reported that during the raid, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, labeled Red Command members as drug terrorists and referred to the four police officers fatally injured in the action as courageous individuals.

However, the count of people killed during the raid has received condemnation from international human rights authorities stating they were "appalled".

In a media appearance on Wednesday, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He further explained that the circumstances intensified because the suspects had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they carried out and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The official additionally stated that the victims shown by residents in Penha were "altered".

Via a statement on social media, he asserted that particular individuals had been taken of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "to transfer accusation to security forces".

Felipe Curi representing security forces further reported that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and arms" were taken away from the bodies and presented video appearing to show an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse