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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who witnessed the results of a large-scale security raid in the metropolitan area has recounted how community members came back with badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan described. They included security forces.

A particular victim had been decapitated - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he said. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims were killed in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action in the city.

The photographer explained that he initially learned concerning the action early on Tuesday by local people from the Alemão area, who contacted him informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The reporter went to the healthcare center, where the victims were being brought.

Itan explained that the police stopped members of the press from accessing the affected area, where the security measures were occurring.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and declared: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the community, stated he succeeded to enter past the security perimeter, where he stayed until the next morning.

He explained that evening, area inhabitants started looking the mountainous area which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for family members who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Residents from the Penha area organized the located casualties in a square - the photographer's images reveal the reaction of the people there.

"The harsh reality of it all shook me deeply: the pain of the families, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, crying, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of the region announced that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 officers was aimed at preventing a gang referred to as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Originally, local officials claimed that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the raid.

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

The public legal service, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the final tally of casualties to be 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has been able to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, in company with First Capital Command, and has a history extending half a century.

Per reporter an expert, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio over many years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and serving as "operational allies".

The organization concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles guns, precious metals, fuel, alcohol cigarettes.

According to the authorities, organization members are well armed and officials reported that while the action was underway, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, described gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and described the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as brave public servants.

But the number of people killed during the raid has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials saying it was "shocked".

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

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We aimed to arrest them all alive," he stated.

He continued that the situation worsened because the suspects fought back: "It was a consequence of the resistance they carried out and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The governor also said that the victims presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Through a message on social media, he claimed that some of them had been removed of military-style attire he said they had been wearing "in order to shift blame onto the police".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces further reported that "camouflage clothing, body armor, and arms" had been removed from the bodies and presented video seemingly depicting a person stripping military attire {off a corpse