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The photographer

An eyewitness who witnessed the results of a large-scale security raid in Rio de Janeiro has reported how residents returned with badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "kept coming: the count kept increasing", the photographer reported. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

One individual was found without a head - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he said. Numerous victims displayed evidence of blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action in the city.

The eyewitness reported that he was first alerted to the raid Tuesday morning by local people from the Alemão area, who sent him messages telling him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The reporter made his way to a local medical facility, where the bodies were being brought.

The eyewitness reported that the police blocked media personnel from accessing the affected area, where the security measures was under way.

"Security forces created a barrier and declared: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the community, explained he was able to make his way into the restricted zone, where he continued until dawn.

He reported during the night, community members began to search the mountainous area which divides the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives who had been missing since the police raid.

Residents from the Penha area proceeded to place the recovered bodies in a square - the documented evidence display the emotions of the people there.

"The harsh reality of the situation shook me deeply: the grief of loved ones, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, crying, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The official of Rio state announced that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 security personnel was designed to preventing an illegal organization known as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

Initially, state authorities stated that sixty individuals along with four officers" were fatally injured in the operation.

They have since said that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

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

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has been able to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, together with a rival criminal group, with a background extending half a century.

According to reporter a specialist, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city extensively, Red Command "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and serving as "operational allies".

The criminal group concentrates largely on drug trafficking, but also smuggles firearms, valuable minerals, fuel, beverages and tobacco.

Per law enforcement statements, organization members possess significant weaponry and police said that while the action was underway, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the state, the government representative, labeled Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the four police officers killed in the raid as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the security action has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities saying it was "shocked".

In a media appearance the following day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he said.

He added that the circumstances intensified because the suspects resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the retaliation they carried out and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

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

Through a message on social media, he claimed that particular individuals had been removed of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces further reported that military attire, body armor, and arms" were taken away from the victims and displayed evidence seemingly depicting a person stripping military attire {off a corpse