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Bruno Itan

A photographer who observed the aftermath of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has recounted how local people came back with disfigured remains of those who had died.

The bodies "kept coming: the count kept increasing", the photographer reported. The total contained law enforcement personnel.

One individual had been decapitated - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he reported. Many also had what appeared to be knife injuries.

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

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

The reporter made his way to the healthcare center, where the victims were being brought.

Itan explained that law enforcement stopped members of the press from accessing the affected area, where the police action were taking place.

"Police officers established a perimeter and said: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in the community, stated he was able to make his way past the security perimeter, where he remained until dawn.

He explained that evening, local residents commenced searching the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for relatives who had been missing since the police raid.

Community members of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the discovered victims in a square - the photographer's images reveal the emotions of the people there.

"The harsh reality of the situation affected me deeply: the pain of the families, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, weeping, furious relatives," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The governor of Rio state declared that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 officers was designed to stopping a gang referred to as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

At first, local officials claimed that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the raid.

They have since said that initial estimates shows that 117 alleged criminals lost their lives.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has estimated the overall count of people killed to be 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has managed to make territorial gains throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations in the country, in company with First Capital Command, with a background spanning over five decades.

Based on correspondent Rafael Soares, who has been covering crime in Rio extensively, the gang "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and becoming "operational allies".

The organization engages primarily in narcotics distribution, while also dealing in weapons, valuable minerals, energy resources, liquor and tobacco.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and police said that throughout the operation, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the state, the political leader, labeled Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of people killed in the security action has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "appalled".

In a media appearance the next day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We intended to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He continued that the circumstances had escalated due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It resulted of the resistance they executed and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The official additionally stated that the casualties presented by community members in Penha had been "manipulated".

Via a statement on social media, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

Felipe Curi representing security forces also said that military attire, protective equipment, and firearms" had been removed from the casualties and showed footage appearing to show a man stripping military attire {off a corpse