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The photographer

An eyewitness who observed the aftermath of an extensive Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how residents returned with disfigured remains of those who had died.

The victims "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan stated. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies had been decapitated - additional victims were "severely damaged", he explained. Numerous victims displayed what he described as blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

Bruno Itan reported that he was first alerted concerning the action Tuesday morning by local people living in Alemão, who sent him messages alerting him there was a shoot-out.

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

The photographer stated that the police prevented journalists from entering the affected area, where the police action were occurring.

"Police officers established a perimeter and announced: 'Media representatives cannot proceed beyond this point'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in the area, explained he was able to enter past the security perimeter, where he continued through the night.

He explained that Tuesday night, local residents started looking the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones who were unaccounted for after the operation.

Residents living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in a public space - and Itan's photos reveal the response of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of what occurred impacted me deeply: the grief of the families, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, weeping, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The state leader of Rio state announced that the extensive law enforcement effort involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was intended to preventing a criminal group known as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

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

They have since said that early calculations indicates that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

Rio's public defender's office, that offers legal help to disadvantaged individuals, has put the final tally of casualties to be 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang is the only criminal group which in recent years has succeeded to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, together with another major gang, and has a history spanning over five decades.

Based on correspondent an expert, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city extensively, the gang "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and acting as "commercial associates".

The criminal group focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking firearms, gold, petroleum products, alcohol and tobacco.

According to the authorities, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the region, the political leader, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and described the security forces killed in the raid as "heroes".

But the number of fatalities in the operation has received condemnation from UN human rights officials saying it was "horrified".

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

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He further explained that the circumstances intensified due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It occurred of the counterattack they carried out and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

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

Through a message through digital channels, he claimed that some of them had been removed of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

A police official from the police department further reported that military attire, vests, and arms" were stripped from the casualties and presented video apparently demonstrating a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse