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The photographer

A reporter who observed the results of an extensive law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has reported how residents came back with badly injured victims of those who had died.

The casualties "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness described. They included law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies had been decapitated - others were "severely damaged", he said. Numerous victims displayed evidence of blade trauma.

More than 120 people were killed during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan reported that he initially learned concerning the action early on Tuesday by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the victims were arriving.

The eyewitness reported that security forces blocked media personnel from entering the operation zone, where the police action was under way.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and declared: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the community, reported he succeeded to enter past the security perimeter, where he continued until the next morning.

He described that evening, community members began to search the mountainous area that borders the Penha neighborhood from the adjacent Alemão area for family members who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the located casualties in a square - and Itan's photos display the emotions of those present.

"The violence of what occurred affected me profoundly: the sorrow of relatives, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, sobbing, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

Bruno Itan

The governor of Rio state stated that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 officers was designed to halting an illegal organization called Red Command from expanding its territory.

Originally, state authorities stated that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the final tally of fatalities to be 132.

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has managed to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, in company with a rival criminal group, and has a history extending half a century.

Based on reporter a specialist, who has been covering criminal activity in the city for years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and serving as "business partners".

The criminal group concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking weapons, valuable minerals, fuel, beverages and tobacco.

According to the authorities, gang members have substantial firearms and officials reported that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of the state, Cláudio Castro, labeled gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and called the security forces who died during the operation as "heroes".

But the number of fatalities during the raid has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities stating they were "shocked".

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Governor Castro supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He continued that the situation worsened because the suspects resisted aggressively: "It resulted of the retaliation they implemented and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The governor further reported that the victims shown by residents in Penha had been "tampered with".

In a post through digital channels, he said that particular individuals had been taken of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

A police official from the police department also said that tactical gear, protective equipment, and arms" were stripped from the casualties and showed footage apparently demonstrating a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse