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Bruno Itan

A reporter who witnessed the results of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has recounted how local people came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The victims "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer described. They included those of police officers.

One individual had been decapitated - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he reported. Several bodies showed evidence of knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness reported that he initially learned concerning the action Tuesday morning by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him informing him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that security forces blocked media personnel from entering the operation zone, where the security measures was under way.

"Police officers formed a line and said: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who was raised in the area, reported he succeeded to gain access into the restricted zone, where he continued until dawn.

He reported that Tuesday night, local residents started looking the mountainous area that separates the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for relatives who had been missing after the operation.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the located casualties in an open area - and Itan's photos reveal the reaction of the people there.

"The brutality of what occurred shook me deeply: the sorrow of the families, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, crying, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The official of the region announced that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 officers was aimed at stopping a gang referred to as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

At first, the Rio state government stated that sixty individuals along with four officers" were fatally injured in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates indicates that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to low-income residents, has put the overall count of fatalities at 132.

According to researchers, the criminal organization is the only criminal group which in recent years has succeeded to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs nationally, in company with First Capital Command, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

Per reporter Rafael Soares, who has been covering criminal activity in the city extensively, the gang "works as a system" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "operational allies".

The criminal group focuses mainly on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking guns, precious metals, petroleum products, liquor and tobacco.

Per law enforcement statements, organization members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The state leader of the state, the political leader, labeled gang affiliates as criminal extremists and described the four police officers fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of people killed in the security action has received condemnation from international human rights authorities stating they were "appalled".

In a media appearance on Wednesday, the state leader defended the police force.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We aimed to arrest them all alive," he stated.

He continued that the situation had escalated as the individuals fought back: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they executed and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the casualties shown by residents in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Through a message through digital channels, he claimed that particular individuals had been removed of the camouflage clothing he said they had been wearing "to transfer accusation to security forces".

A police official of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that tactical gear, vests, and weapons" had been removed from the victims and displayed evidence appearing to show a person stripping military attire {off a corpse