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The eyewitness

A photographer who witnessed the consequences of a large-scale law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has described how community members came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", the photographer reported. They included security forces.

A particular victim was discovered headless - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he said. Many also had evidence of stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were killed during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The eyewitness reported that residents first notified him about the operation in the early hours by residents from the Alemão area, who contacted him telling him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer made his way to a local medical facility, where the bodies were coming in.

Itan explained that law enforcement prevented journalists from accessing the affected area, where the security measures were occurring.

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

But Itan, who grew up in the community, explained he succeeded to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he stayed until dawn.

He reported that evening, local residents began to search the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones who had been missing after the operation.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood organized the discovered victims in a square - the documented evidence display the reaction of those present.

"The brutality of the situation shook me profoundly: the pain of relatives, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, sobbing, angry family members," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The state leader of the region stated that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 officers was intended to halting an illegal organization known as Red Command from increasing their control.

Originally, state authorities claimed that sixty individuals and four police officers" lost their lives in the raid.

They have since said that early calculations indicates that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has put the final tally of people killed at 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has managed to make territorial gains throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs nationally, alongside another major gang, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades.

According to reporter a specialist, who has long reported on crime in Rio for years, the gang "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "commercial associates".

The criminal group concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, while also dealing in firearms, valuable minerals, petroleum products, beverages cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and police said that during the raid, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, characterized gang affiliates as drug terrorists and called the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as courageous individuals.

However, the count of fatalities in the operation has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "shocked".

In a media appearance on Wednesday, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We intended to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He further explained that the events intensified because the suspects fought back: "It was a consequence of the resistance they carried out and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The state leader also said that the bodies presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on online platforms, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation to security forces".

A police official from the police department additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and weapons" were taken away from the bodies and displayed evidence seemingly depicting a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse