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The eyewitness

A photographer who observed the consequences of a large-scale security raid in the Brazilian city has described how local people brought back disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The victims "kept coming: the count kept increasing", the photographer stated. Among them were security forces.

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

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives in the Tuesday operation on a criminal gang - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen.

Bruno Itan reported that residents first notified him to the raid Tuesday morning by residents from the Alemão area, who reached out alerting him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer went to the healthcare center, where the casualties were arriving.

Itan explained that law enforcement stopped members of the press from entering the affected area, where the operation were taking place.

"Security forces established a perimeter and declared: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who spent his childhood in that neighborhood, reported he managed to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until the next morning.

He described that evening, local residents started looking the hillside that borders the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown after the operation.

Residents living in Penha organized the recovered bodies in an open area - and Itan's photos reveal the reaction of those present.

"The violence of it all impacted me deeply: the grief of the families, women collapsing, expectant spouses, weeping, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

The eyewitness

The official of the state declared that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 officers was aimed at stopping a criminal group called Red Command from growing their influence.

Initially, local officials maintained that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the raid.

They have since said that initial estimates indicates that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to the poor, has calculated the overall count of fatalities at 132.

Based on expert analysis, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, together with First Capital Command, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

Based on Brazilian journalist an expert, who has been covering criminal activity in the city over many years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "commercial associates".

The organization engages primarily in illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking firearms, valuable minerals, energy resources, liquor and tobacco.

Based on official reports, gang members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that during the raid, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, labeled organization participants as drug terrorists and described the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities during the raid has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "horrified".

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

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We wanted to arrest them all alive," he said.

He added that the circumstances intensified due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It resulted of the counterattack they implemented and the excessive violence by those criminals."

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

Via a statement on social media, he claimed that particular individuals had been removed of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

Felipe Curi representing security forces further reported that "camouflage clothing, vests, and weapons" were taken away from the casualties and presented video appearing to show a person stripping military attire {off a corpse