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The photographer

A photographer who witnessed the results of an extensive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has reported how community members brought back badly injured victims of those who had died.

The bodies "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", the photographer stated. They included security forces.

A particular victim was found without a head - while others appeared "severely damaged", he said. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during the security action on a criminal gang - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen.

Bruno Itan stated that he was first alerted about the operation early on Tuesday by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him telling him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the victims were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces blocked media personnel from accessing the operation zone, where the security measures were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel established a perimeter and announced: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who spent his childhood in that neighborhood, reported he succeeded to enter into the restricted zone, where he continued until dawn.

He described during the night, community members commenced searching the hillside which divides Penha from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Residents living in Penha organized the recovered bodies in a public space - the documented evidence display the emotions of those present.

"The violence of what occurred impacted me deeply: the grief of loved ones, mothers fainting, women carrying children, crying, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of the state announced that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 security personnel was designed to halting a criminal group referred to as the criminal faction from increasing their control.

Initially, state authorities maintained that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" had been killed in the operation.

They have since said that their "preliminary" count indicates that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to low-income residents, has estimated the overall count of people killed at 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has been able to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations in the country, in company with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Based on reporter Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio over many years, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and becoming "business partners".

The organization concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, while also dealing in firearms, gold, energy resources, liquor and tobacco.

According to the authorities, organization members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of the region, Cláudio Castro, described Red Command members as drug terrorists and referred to the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

But the number of people killed in the security action has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "appalled".

In a media appearance the following day, Governor Castro supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He continued that the events intensified because the suspects fought back: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they carried out and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the casualties presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Through a message through digital channels, he claimed that certain victims had been removed of the camouflage clothing he said they had been wearing "in order to shift blame to security forces".

Felipe Curi representing security forces additionally stated that tactical gear, vests, and arms" were stripped from the victims and presented video apparently demonstrating an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse