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The eyewitness

A photographer who documented the consequences of a massive security raid in the Brazilian city has described how residents came back with badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness reported. They included law enforcement personnel.

One individual was found without a head - while others appeared "severely damaged", he explained. Several bodies showed what appeared to be blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

The photographer reported that he was first alerted concerning the action Tuesday morning by residents from the Alemão area, who contacted him telling him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness made his way to a local medical facility, where the victims were being brought.

The photographer stated that law enforcement stopped members of the press from going into the affected area, where the police action were occurring.

"Security forces created a barrier and said: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who grew up in the community, stated he was able to gain access into the restricted zone, where he remained through the night.

He described during the night, community members began to search the hillside that separates the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones who had been missing after the operation.

Residents from the Penha area organized the discovered victims in a public space - the photographer's images display the response of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of what occurred impacted me profoundly: the grief of loved ones, mothers fainting, women carrying children, sobbing, furious relatives," the photographer recalled.

Bruno Itan

The official of the state announced that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 officers was designed to stopping a criminal group referred to as Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

At first, local officials stated that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the raid.

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

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has put the overall count of fatalities at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has managed to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, together with another major gang, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades.

According to Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city for years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and becoming "commercial associates".

The criminal group engages primarily in narcotics distribution, but also smuggles guns, precious metals, energy resources, beverages cigarettes.

According to the authorities, organization members are well armed and officials reported that while the action was underway, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of the region, Cláudio Castro, described gang affiliates as criminal extremists and described the security forces who died during the operation as "heroes".

But the number of people killed in the operation has received condemnation from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "horrified".

At a news conference the following day, the official justified security actions.

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We intended to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He added that the situation worsened due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It resulted of the resistance they implemented and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

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

Via a statement through digital channels, he claimed that certain victims had been removed of military-style attire he said they had been wearing "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi representing security forces additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, body armor, and arms" had been removed from the casualties and showed footage apparently demonstrating a man stripping military attire {off a corpse