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The eyewitness

A reporter who observed the results of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has described how local people returned with mutilated bodies of those who had died.

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

One individual was discovered headless - others were "severely damaged", he explained. Many also had what appeared to be blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation in the city.

The eyewitness explained that residents first notified him concerning the action early on Tuesday by community members of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages informing him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness went to a local medical facility, where the victims were arriving.

Itan explained that security forces blocked media personnel from going into the affected area, where the police action were taking place.

"Security forces established a perimeter and announced: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the community, reported he succeeded to make his way into the restricted zone, where he stayed through the night.

He reported during the night, local residents began to search the mountainous area that separates the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for family members whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the located casualties in a public space - the photographer's images show the response of the people there.

"The violence of the situation shook me deeply: the pain of the families, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, crying, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

The eyewitness

The official of the region declared that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was designed to preventing an illegal organization referred to as Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

At first, state authorities maintained that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that their "preliminary" count indicates that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

Rio's public defender's office, that offers legal help to low-income residents, has estimated the overall count of casualties at 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has managed to expand its territory across the region.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, alongside a rival criminal group, with a background spanning over five decades.

Based on correspondent an expert, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio extensively, the gang "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "operational allies".

The gang concentrates largely on drug trafficking, but also smuggles guns, precious metals, energy resources, alcohol cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates are well armed and officials reported that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of the region, the political leader, described organization participants as criminal extremists and referred to the security forces who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

Nevertheless, the total of people killed in the operation has received condemnation from UN human rights officials stating they were "appalled".

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

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He continued that the circumstances had escalated due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It resulted of the retaliation they implemented and the excessive violence by those criminals."

The governor additionally stated that the casualties presented by community members in the area had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on social media, he claimed that particular individuals had been taken of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "in order to shift blame onto the police".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that military attire, vests, and firearms" were stripped from the casualties and showed footage appearing to show an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse