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The photographer

A photographer who documented the results of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has reported how residents came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "kept piling up: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan stated. They included those of police officers.

A particular victim had been decapitated - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he reported. Many also had what appeared to be stab wounds.

More than 120 people were killed during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness reported that he initially learned about the operation Tuesday morning by residents from the Alemão area, who sent him messages informing him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer traveled to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that security forces prevented journalists from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the security measures were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel established a perimeter and announced: 'The press are not allowed to pass'."

But Itan, who grew up in the area, explained he was able to enter into the restricted zone, where he remained through the night.

He described during the night, local residents commenced searching the elevated terrain that separates the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives who had been missing following the security action.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the recovered bodies in an open area - the photographer's images show the emotions of the people there.

"The harsh reality of the situation impacted me deeply: the sorrow of the families, women collapsing, women carrying children, sobbing, angry family members," the photographer recalled.

The photographer

The official of the region stated that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 security personnel was intended to stopping an illegal organization referred to as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

At first, state authorities maintained that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives during the action.

Authorities later reported that early calculations shows that 117 individuals were fatally injured.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to the poor, has put the overall count of casualties as 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang is the only criminal group that in the past few years has succeeded to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations in the country, alongside another major gang, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

According to correspondent Rafael Soares, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio over many years, the gang "works as a system" with local criminal leaders joining the organization and serving as "commercial associates".

The gang concentrates largely on drug trafficking, but also smuggles guns, gold, petroleum products, beverages and tobacco.

Based on official reports, organization members have substantial firearms and police said that during the raid, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of Rio state, the political leader, labeled Red Command members as criminal extremists and described the security forces who died during the operation as "heroes".

But the number of casualties in the security action has received condemnation from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "horrified".

During a press briefing on Wednesday, the official justified security actions.

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We wanted to arrest them all alive," he said.

He added that the situation intensified as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It resulted of the retaliation they implemented and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The official further reported that the casualties shown by residents in Penha were "altered".

Through a message through digital channels, he said that some of them had been removed of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi representing security forces additionally stated that tactical gear, protective equipment, and arms" were taken away from the victims and showed footage apparently demonstrating an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse