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The eyewitness

A photographer who observed the results of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how community members came back with badly injured victims of those who had died.

The bodies "kept piling up: the numbers kept rising", the photographer described. They included those of police officers.

One of the bodies was found without a head - others were "severely damaged", he reported. Many also had evidence of stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation in the city.

The photographer explained that he initially learned to the raid Tuesday morning by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The reporter made his way to the healthcare center, where the casualties were arriving.

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

"Law enforcement personnel created a barrier and announced: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in that neighborhood, stated he managed to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he remained through the night.

He described that evening, area inhabitants started looking the hillside that borders the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Residents living in Penha organized the recovered bodies in an open area - and Itan's photos display the emotions of the people there.

"The brutality of what occurred impacted me deeply: the sorrow of loved ones, mothers fainting, women carrying children, sobbing, angry family members," the photographer recalled.

Bruno Itan

The governor of Rio state stated that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at halting a gang known as Comando Vermelho from expanding its territory.

Originally, state authorities stated that sixty individuals and four police officers" were fatally injured during the action.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates shows that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has estimated the overall count of people killed at 132.

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs nationally, together with a rival criminal group, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

Per correspondent a specialist, who has long reported on crime in Rio for years, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "operational allies".

The criminal group engages primarily in illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking weapons, precious metals, petroleum products, beverages cigarettes.

According to the authorities, organization members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that during the raid, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of the state, Cláudio Castro, characterized organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and called the security forces who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

But the number of casualties during the raid has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "shocked".

During a press briefing the next day, the state leader supported law enforcement.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He added that the circumstances worsened as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they implemented and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

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

Through a message on online platforms, he said that some of them had been taken of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame onto the police".

A law enforcement representative from the police department further reported that military attire, protective equipment, and weapons" had been removed from the bodies and showed footage seemingly depicting an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse