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The eyewitness

A reporter who observed the results of a large-scale security raid in the Brazilian city has reported how local people came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

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

One of the bodies was discovered headless - others were "totally disfigured", he said. Many also had what he described as stab wounds.

More than 120 people were killed during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action in the city.

Bruno Itan explained that residents first notified him concerning the action Tuesday morning by local people living in Alemão, who contacted him informing him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were arriving.

Itan explained that the police stopped members of the press from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were taking place.

"Security forces formed a line and said: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who was raised in the area, stated he managed to enter into the restricted zone, where he stayed through the night.

He reported during the night, community members commenced searching the hillside that separates the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives who had been missing since the police raid.

Community members from the Penha area proceeded to place the recovered bodies in a square - and Itan's photos reveal the reaction of those present.

"The brutality of it all affected me deeply: the sorrow of the families, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, sobbing, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of the state stated that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 security personnel was aimed at halting a gang known as Red Command from expanding its territory.

Originally, state authorities stated that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that early calculations shows that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has calculated the final tally of casualties to be 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has succeeded to expand its territory across the region.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, in company with another major gang, with a background spanning over five decades.

Per Brazilian journalist an expert, who has been covering crime in Rio for years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and becoming "operational allies".

The gang focuses mainly on drug trafficking, while also dealing in weapons, gold, energy resources, liquor smoking products.

Based on official reports, gang members possess significant weaponry and officials reported that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the region, Cláudio Castro, described organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of people killed during the raid has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials stating they were "shocked".

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

"There was no objective to kill anyone. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He further explained that the situation intensified as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It was a consequence of the resistance they executed and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The official additionally stated that the casualties shown by residents in the area were "altered".

Through a message through digital channels, he asserted that certain victims had been taken of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force further reported that tactical gear, vests, and firearms" had been removed from the bodies and displayed evidence appearing to show a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse