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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who observed the results of a large-scale security raid in the Brazilian city has recounted how residents returned with badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The victims "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the photographer reported. They included security forces.

One of the bodies was found without a head - others were "completely mutilated", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what he described as blade trauma.

More than 120 people were fatally injured during the security action against a criminal group - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan stated that he was first alerted to the raid in the early hours by local people from the Alemão area, who contacted him alerting him gunfire had erupted.

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

Itan explained that security forces stopped members of the press from going into the operation zone, where the security measures were taking place.

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

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in the community, reported he was able to make his way past the security perimeter, where he stayed until the next morning.

He reported that evening, community members started looking the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for family members who were unaccounted for since the police raid.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the recovered bodies in a square - the documented evidence show the response of those present.

"The brutality of it all shook me deeply: the grief of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, sobbing, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of Rio state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort involving around 2,500 officers was designed to stopping an illegal organization known as Red Command from increasing their control.

Initially, local officials stated that "60 suspects and four police officers" had been killed in the raid.

They have since said that early calculations suggests that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has put the overall count of people killed as 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has been able to make territorial gains across the region.

It is widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations in the country, in company with First Capital Command, and has a history spanning over five decades.

According to Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio over many years, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "operational allies".

The criminal group focuses mainly on narcotics distribution, additionally trafficking weapons, valuable minerals, fuel, liquor smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The state leader of the region, the government representative, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and referred to the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

But the number of people killed during the raid has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "shocked".

During a press briefing on Wednesday, the state leader supported law enforcement.

"We did not plan to kill anyone. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He continued that the circumstances had escalated due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they executed and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The governor additionally stated that the victims presented by community members in Penha had been "manipulated".

Through a message on social media, he asserted that certain victims had been stripped of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "to transfer accusation to security forces".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces further reported that military attire, body armor, and firearms" had been removed from the bodies and presented video appearing to show an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse