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Bruno Itan

A photographer who witnessed the consequences of an extensive law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how community members returned with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness stated. Among them were security forces.

One individual had been decapitated - others were "totally disfigured", he reported. Several bodies showed what he described as blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals were killed in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation in the city.

Bruno Itan explained that he initially learned about the operation Tuesday morning by community members from the Alemão area, who contacted him alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The eyewitness made his way to the healthcare center, where the victims were arriving.

Itan explained that law enforcement blocked media personnel from accessing the operation zone, where the security measures were occurring.

"Police officers formed a line and declared: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in the area, explained he was able to make his way into the restricted zone, where he continued through the night.

He reported that evening, local residents commenced searching the hillside which divides the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for family members who had been missing after the operation.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood organized the located casualties in an open area - the documented evidence reveal the response of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of it all shook me profoundly: the sorrow of loved ones, women collapsing, expectant spouses, crying, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The state leader of Rio state announced that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at preventing a gang referred to as the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

At first, state authorities maintained that "60 suspects and four police officers" had been killed during the action.

Authorities later reported that early calculations suggests that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the overall count of casualties as 132.

According to researchers, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has succeeded to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs nationally, together with a rival criminal group, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Based on correspondent an expert, who has long reported on crime in Rio extensively, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with local criminal leaders joining the organization and acting as "commercial associates".

The organization engages primarily in narcotics distribution, additionally trafficking weapons, valuable minerals, fuel, beverages smoking products.

According to the authorities, gang members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of the state, the political leader, characterized Red Command members as criminal extremists and referred to the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

However, the count of fatalities in the operation has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "horrified".

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

"There was no objective to cause fatalities. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He further explained that the situation worsened due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they implemented and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The official additionally stated that the casualties presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

In a post on social media, he asserted that particular individuals had been removed of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

Felipe Curi from the police department further reported that tactical gear, protective equipment, and weapons" were taken away from the casualties and presented video appearing to show a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse