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The photographer

A reporter who observed the aftermath of an extensive Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has reported how residents returned with badly injured victims of those who had died.

The victims "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer stated. The total contained those of police officers.

A particular victim was found without a head - others were "totally disfigured", he said. Several bodies showed what he described as blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation on a criminal gang - the bloodiest action in the city.

Bruno Itan reported that he initially learned about the operation Tuesday morning by residents living in Alemão, who sent him messages telling him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness went to the healthcare center, where the bodies were arriving.

The eyewitness reported that the police stopped members of the press from going into the Penha neighborhood, where the police action were taking place.

"Security forces formed a line and announced: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in the area, explained he was able to enter past the security perimeter, where he stayed through the night.

He explained that evening, area inhabitants began to search the elevated terrain that separates the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Residents living in Penha arranged the located casualties in a public space - and Itan's photos reveal the response of those present.

"The brutality of it all affected me profoundly: the pain of relatives, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, weeping, furious relatives," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The state leader of the state stated that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was intended to stopping a gang called Comando Vermelho from expanding its territory.

At first, local officials claimed that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives during the action.

They have since said that early calculations shows that 117 individuals were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the total number of people killed as 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has succeeded to make territorial gains across the region.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, alongside First Capital Command, and has a history dating back more than 50 years.

Based on correspondent a specialist, who has long reported on illegal operations in Rio extensively, the gang "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "operational allies".

The gang engages primarily in drug trafficking, additionally trafficking weapons, gold, petroleum products, alcohol and tobacco.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates are well armed and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of Rio state, the government representative, described gang affiliates as drug terrorists and described the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as courageous individuals.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties during the raid has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities saying it was "horrified".

In a media appearance the following day, the state leader supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We intended to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He further explained that the events worsened due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It resulted of the counterattack they implemented and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

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

In a post on online platforms, he asserted that some of them had been taken of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

A police official from the police department further reported that military attire, protective equipment, and arms" had been removed from the victims and showed footage apparently demonstrating a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse