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The photographer

A photographer who observed the results of an extensive law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how community members returned with badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer stated. They included law enforcement personnel.

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

More than 120 people were fatally injured during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action in the city.

Bruno Itan stated that residents first notified him to the raid early on Tuesday by community members living in Alemão, who contacted him alerting him there was a shoot-out.

The reporter traveled to the healthcare center, where the bodies were coming in.

The photographer stated that the police stopped members of the press from going into the Penha neighborhood, where the operation was under way.

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

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in the area, explained he managed to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until the next morning.

He described during the night, area inhabitants commenced searching the mountainous area that borders Penha from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones who had been missing after the operation.

Community members living in Penha organized the recovered bodies in an open area - the photographer's images reveal the response of those present.

"The harsh reality of it all impacted me a lot: the pain of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, weeping, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The state leader of the region stated that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at stopping a criminal group known as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Originally, state authorities claimed that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" had been killed during the action.

They have since said that early calculations suggests that 117 individuals lost their lives.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has put the final tally of casualties at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has succeeded to increase its control across the region.

It is widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, together with another major gang, and has a history spanning over five decades.

Based on reporter an expert, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio for years, the gang "works as a system" with area gang leaders joining the organization and serving as "operational allies".

The criminal group focuses mainly on drug trafficking, while also dealing in weapons, valuable minerals, fuel, alcohol and tobacco.

Based on official reports, gang members have substantial firearms and officials reported that throughout the operation, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the state, the political leader, characterized Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and called the security forces who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

However, the count of casualties during the raid has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "shocked".

During a press briefing the next day, the official supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he said.

He added that the circumstances intensified due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It resulted of the resistance they executed and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The governor additionally stated that the bodies displayed by locals in the area were "altered".

Through a message on social media, he claimed that some of them had been taken of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces further reported that "camouflage clothing, vests, and arms" were stripped from the bodies and showed footage apparently demonstrating a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse