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The eyewitness

A photographer who observed the consequences of a large-scale law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has reported how local people brought back badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The victims "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan stated. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim was discovered headless - others were "completely mutilated", he said. Several bodies showed what appeared to be stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan stated that he initially learned concerning the action in the early hours by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages alerting him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness traveled to the healthcare center, where the casualties were arriving.

Itan explained that law enforcement stopped members of the press from accessing the operation zone, where the operation were occurring.

"Security forces created a barrier and said: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in the community, reported he succeeded to enter into the restricted zone, where he continued until the next morning.

He reported that Tuesday night, area inhabitants commenced searching the mountainous area that separates the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Residents from the Penha area organized the recovered bodies in a public space - and Itan's photos reveal the response of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of what occurred affected me a lot: the sorrow of the families, women collapsing, expectant spouses, crying, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The official of Rio state declared that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 security personnel was designed to stopping an illegal organization known as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

Initially, the Rio state government claimed that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" were fatally injured in the raid.

They have since said that early calculations shows that 117 individuals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has put the final tally of fatalities at 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has been able to make territorial gains throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction nationally, in company with First Capital Command, and has a history extending half a century.

Per correspondent a specialist, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio extensively, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders joining the organization and acting as "commercial associates".

The gang engages primarily in narcotics distribution, but also smuggles guns, gold, petroleum products, beverages cigarettes.

According to the authorities, organization members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they faced assaults via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of the region, Cláudio Castro, characterized gang affiliates as criminal extremists and called the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities during the raid has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities stating they were "shocked".

At a news conference on Wednesday, the state leader supported law enforcement.

"There was no objective to cause fatalities. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He continued that the events intensified due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It resulted of the counterattack they implemented and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The state leader also said that the victims displayed by locals in Penha were "altered".

Via a statement through digital channels, he claimed that certain victims had been removed of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation onto the police".

A police official from the police department also said that "camouflage clothing, vests, and weapons" were stripped from the casualties and showed footage appearing to show a person stripping military attire {off a corpse