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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who observed the results of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has recounted how local people brought back badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan reported. They included law enforcement personnel.

One individual had been decapitated - while others appeared "severely damaged", he reported. Several bodies showed what he described as stab wounds.

More than 120 people were killed during the security action on a criminal gang - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

The photographer stated that he was first alerted to the raid in the early hours by local people living in Alemão, who contacted him telling him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the victims were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from going into the affected area, where the security measures was under way.

"Security forces created a barrier and announced: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in the community, explained he was able to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he stayed until dawn.

He explained during the night, local residents commenced searching the mountainous area which divides the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for relatives who were unaccounted for after the operation.

Local people living in Penha arranged the recovered bodies in a public space - the photographer's images show the reaction of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of the situation impacted me a lot: the grief of relatives, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, weeping, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

The eyewitness

The official of Rio state declared that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was designed to stopping an illegal organization referred to as Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

At first, the Rio state government claimed that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" lost their lives in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

The legal assistance organization, that offers legal help to the poor, has put the final tally of casualties as 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has managed to increase its control across the region.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction nationally, together with a rival criminal group, and has a history spanning over five decades.

Per reporter an expert, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio extensively, the criminal organization "works as a system" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and becoming "operational allies".

The gang concentrates largely on drug trafficking, but also smuggles weapons, precious metals, fuel, beverages cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, organization members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that during the raid, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The governor of Rio state, the political leader, characterized organization participants as criminal extremists and referred to the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities during the raid has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "appalled".

During a press briefing the next day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"There was no objective to kill anyone. We intended to arrest them all alive," he stated.

He continued that the circumstances intensified as the individuals fought back: "It occurred of the counterattack they executed and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the victims displayed by locals in the neighborhood were "altered".

In a post on social media, he claimed that certain victims had been taken of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

A police official from the police department additionally stated that tactical gear, protective equipment, and arms" were stripped from the bodies and displayed evidence seemingly depicting a man stripping military attire {off a corpse