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Bruno Itan

A photographer who witnessed the aftermath of an extensive law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has recounted how community members brought back badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness reported. The total contained law enforcement personnel.

One individual was discovered headless - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he explained. Several bodies showed evidence of blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during the security action against a criminal group - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

The photographer reported that he was first alerted to the raid early on Tuesday by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out informing him there was a shoot-out.

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

The eyewitness reported that the police blocked media personnel from entering the operation zone, where the operation were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel established a perimeter and announced: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in the community, reported he managed to gain access past the security perimeter, where he remained through the night.

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

Community members of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the located casualties in a public space - and Itan's photos display the reaction of those present.

"The violence of it all impacted me a lot: the pain of the families, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, weeping, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The state leader of the region stated that the extensive law enforcement effort involving around 2,500 security personnel was aimed at preventing a criminal group known as Comando Vermelho from expanding its territory.

Initially, the Rio state government claimed that "60 suspects along with four officers" were fatally injured in the operation.

Authorities later reported that early calculations suggests that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has calculated the total number of casualties to be 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity that recently has been able to increase its control throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view as a major illegal faction in the country, together with a rival criminal group, with a background spanning over five decades.

Based on correspondent a specialist, who has long reported on crime in Rio extensively, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "business partners".

The gang engages primarily in narcotics distribution, but also smuggles weapons, valuable minerals, energy resources, liquor smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and officials reported that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of the state, the government representative, characterized organization participants as criminal extremists and referred to the four police officers who died during the operation as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the security action has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials stating they were "appalled".

In a media appearance on Wednesday, the state leader justified security actions.

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

He added that the circumstances worsened as the individuals had retaliated: "It resulted of the counterattack they implemented and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The state leader further reported that the casualties presented by community members in Penha were "altered".

Through a message on online platforms, he claimed that certain victims had been taken of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation to security forces".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that military attire, protective equipment, and arms" had been removed from the victims and presented video appearing to show an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse