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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who observed the aftermath of an extensive security raid in the Brazilian city has reported how residents brought back disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer stated. The total contained security forces.

A particular victim was discovered headless - additional victims were "completely mutilated", he explained. Numerous victims displayed what he described as knife injuries.

More than 120 people lost their lives during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

The photographer explained that he initially learned concerning the action Tuesday morning by community members living in Alemão, who sent him messages informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the casualties were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the security measures was under way.

"Security forces established a perimeter and announced: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in the area, stated he succeeded to enter into the restricted zone, where he remained until the next morning.

He described during the night, area inhabitants began to search the elevated terrain which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones who had been missing following the security action.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the discovered victims in a public space - the photographer's images display the response of those present.

"The violence of it all impacted me profoundly: the grief of the families, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, weeping, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The state leader of the region declared that the extensive law enforcement effort involving around 2,500 security personnel was intended to halting a gang called Red Command from increasing their control.

Originally, local officials claimed that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates indicates that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has calculated the overall count of casualties as 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command is the only criminal group that in the past few years has managed to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction in Brazil, in company with a rival criminal group, and has a history dating back more than 50 years.

Per Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio for years, the criminal organization "works as a system" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "commercial associates".

The organization engages primarily in illegal drug trade, but also smuggles guns, precious metals, fuel, liquor smoking products.

Based on official reports, gang members are well armed and authorities stated that during the raid, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The governor of the state, Cláudio Castro, labeled organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the security forces killed in the raid as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities in the security action has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "shocked".

In a media appearance the following day, the official justified security actions.

"We did not plan to kill anyone. We wanted to arrest them all alive," he stated.

He added that the circumstances had escalated because the suspects resisted aggressively: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they executed and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The state leader additionally stated that the casualties shown by residents in Penha were "altered".

Through a message through digital channels, he asserted that particular individuals had been taken of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame onto the police".

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