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Bruno Itan

A photographer who observed the consequences of a massive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has described how local people came back with disfigured remains of those who had died.

The casualties "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan described. The total contained security forces.

A particular victim was found without a head - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he reported. Many also had evidence of blade trauma.

More than 120 people were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness stated that he initially learned to the raid early on Tuesday by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages alerting him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The photographer went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the casualties were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that law enforcement blocked media personnel from accessing the affected area, where the security measures were taking place.

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

However, the photographer, who was raised in that neighborhood, stated he succeeded to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he continued until the next morning.

He explained that evening, community members started looking the elevated terrain which divides Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Community members living in Penha proceeded to place the recovered bodies in a square - the documented evidence reveal the response of those present.

"The violence of the situation affected me a lot: the grief of relatives, mothers fainting, women carrying children, crying, furious relatives," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of the state announced that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at halting a criminal group called the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Initially, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects along with four officers" lost their lives in the raid.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has put the final tally of fatalities at 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has managed to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, in company with another major gang, and has a history dating back more than 50 years.

Per correspondent Rafael Soares, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city extensively, Red Command "works as a system" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "business partners".

The gang focuses mainly on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking weapons, valuable minerals, fuel, alcohol cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates are well armed and police said that throughout the operation, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The official of the region, the government representative, characterized Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and called the four police officers who died during the operation as brave public servants.

But the number of fatalities in the operation has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities saying it was "appalled".

In a media appearance on Wednesday, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he said.

He added that the events worsened due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It resulted of the retaliation they implemented and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The governor additionally stated that the victims presented by community members in the neighborhood were "altered".

Via a statement through digital channels, he asserted that certain victims had been stripped of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation to security forces".

A police official from the police department also said that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and firearms" were stripped from the victims and displayed evidence seemingly depicting an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse