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Bruno Itan

A photographer who documented the consequences of a massive Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has reported how local people returned with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness reported. They included security forces.

One individual was discovered headless - while others appeared "severely damaged", he explained. Several bodies showed what he described as blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims were killed in the Tuesday operation on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

The photographer stated that he was first alerted to the raid early on Tuesday by community members of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The reporter traveled to a local medical facility, where the victims were coming in.

The photographer stated that law enforcement blocked media personnel from entering the affected area, where the security measures were occurring.

"Law enforcement personnel created a barrier and announced: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who was raised in the community, explained he was able to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he continued until the next morning.

He reported that evening, community members began to search the mountainous area that separates the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Residents from the Penha area proceeded to place the discovered victims in a square - the photographer's images reveal the reaction of those present.

"The violence of what occurred impacted me a lot: the sorrow of loved ones, women collapsing, pregnant wives, weeping, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The governor of the region stated that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 security personnel was aimed at stopping a gang called Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

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

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

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has calculated the total number of casualties as 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has managed to make territorial gains across the region.

Experts commonly view as a major illegal faction in Brazil, together with another major gang, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

Per correspondent Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio over many years, the criminal organization "works as a system" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and serving as "commercial associates".

The criminal group concentrates largely on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking guns, valuable minerals, energy resources, beverages cigarettes.

According to the authorities, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and police said that while the action was underway, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of Rio state, the government representative, described organization participants as criminal extremists and called the security forces who died during the operation as brave public servants.

However, the count of casualties in the security action has received condemnation from UN human rights officials stating they were "shocked".

During a press briefing the following day, the official defended the police force.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he said.

He further explained that the events intensified because the suspects resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the retaliation they implemented and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The governor further reported that the casualties shown by residents in the area were "altered".

Via a statement on online platforms, he claimed that certain victims had been stripped of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

A police official representing security forces also said that military attire, protective equipment, and weapons" were taken away from the bodies and displayed evidence seemingly depicting an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse