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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who documented the aftermath of an extensive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how community members returned with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The victims "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness stated. Among them were those of police officers.

One of the bodies was found without a head - while others appeared "severely damaged", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness stated that residents first notified him about the operation Tuesday morning by residents from the Alemão area, who reached out alerting him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness made his way to a local medical facility, where the casualties were coming in.

Itan explained that the police stopped members of the press from accessing the operation zone, where the security measures was under way.

"Police officers created a barrier and declared: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in that neighborhood, reported he managed to make his way past the security perimeter, where he stayed until dawn.

He described that evening, local residents started looking the elevated terrain that separates the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for family members who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Residents living in Penha organized the discovered victims in a public space - the photographer's images display the reaction of those present.

"The brutality of what occurred shook me profoundly: the pain of loved ones, women collapsing, pregnant wives, weeping, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The governor of the region announced that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 security personnel was aimed at stopping an illegal organization known as the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

Initially, local officials maintained that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" lost their lives in the operation.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count indicates that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to low-income residents, has estimated the final tally of casualties to be 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity that recently has managed to make territorial gains across the region.

Experts commonly view as a major illegal faction in the country, together with another major gang, and has a history extending half a century.

According to reporter Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio extensively, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and serving as "business partners".

The criminal group concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, but also smuggles guns, gold, energy resources, alcohol cigarettes.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and police said that while the action was underway, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The governor of the region, the government representative, described Red Command members as drug terrorists and called the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities during the raid has received condemnation from international human rights authorities stating they were "horrified".

At a news conference the following day, the state leader justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He added that the situation worsened due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they implemented and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The governor additionally stated that the casualties presented by community members in the area had been "manipulated".

Via a statement on social media, he claimed that certain victims had been removed of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force further reported that military attire, body armor, and firearms" were taken away from the victims and presented video seemingly depicting a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse