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The eyewitness

A photographer who observed the aftermath of an extensive security raid in the Brazilian city has described how community members brought back badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness reported. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was found without a head - additional victims were "totally disfigured", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be stab wounds.

More than 120 people were killed in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

The photographer stated that residents first notified him about the operation early on Tuesday by community members living in Alemão, who sent him messages informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The photographer made his way to a local medical facility, where the casualties were coming in.

The photographer stated that law enforcement blocked media personnel from accessing the affected area, where the operation were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel established a perimeter and said: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the area, stated he succeeded to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he stayed until the next morning.

He explained that evening, local residents started looking the hillside that separates Penha from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives who were unaccounted for since the police raid.

Community members from the Penha area organized the recovered bodies in a square - the documented evidence display the emotions of those present.

"The harsh reality of what occurred shook me deeply: the pain of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, weeping, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The official of the region declared that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 security personnel was designed to preventing a criminal group known as Comando Vermelho from expanding its territory.

At first, the Rio state government maintained that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates suggests that 117 alleged criminals lost their lives.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has put the overall count of casualties at 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has been able to make territorial gains across the region.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations in the country, in company with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

According to Brazilian journalist an expert, who has long reported on illegal operations in Rio extensively, the criminal organization "works as a system" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and becoming "commercial associates".

The criminal group concentrates largely on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking weapons, gold, fuel, liquor cigarettes.

According to the authorities, organization members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, labeled Red Command members as drug terrorists and described the security forces fatally injured in the action as brave public servants.

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

At a news conference the following day, the state leader defended the police force.

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He added that the circumstances intensified due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It resulted of the resistance they executed and the disproportionate use of force by the illegal group."

The governor also said that the victims shown by residents in Penha were "altered".

Via a statement through digital channels, he claimed that certain victims had been taken of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that military attire, vests, and weapons" were taken away from the bodies and showed footage seemingly depicting a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse