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Bruno Itan

An eyewitness who witnessed the results of a massive Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how local people returned with mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The casualties "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan reported. The total contained those of police officers.

One individual was found without a head - others were "severely damaged", he said. Several bodies showed evidence of knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

The photographer stated that residents first notified him concerning the action Tuesday morning by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out alerting him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer went to a local medical facility, where the casualties were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from going into the Penha neighborhood, where the police action were taking place.

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

However, the photographer, who grew up in the community, stated he succeeded to gain access into the restricted zone, where he stayed until dawn.

He explained that evening, area inhabitants commenced searching the hillside that borders the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown after the operation.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood organized the discovered victims in a public space - the photographer's images show the response of the people there.

"The harsh reality of what occurred impacted me deeply: the sorrow of relatives, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, sobbing, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The official of Rio state stated that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 officers was intended to preventing a criminal group known as Red Command from growing their influence.

At first, state authorities stated that sixty individuals along with four officers" lost their lives during the action.

Authorities later reported that early calculations indicates that 117 alleged criminals lost their lives.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to the poor, has put the total number of fatalities at 132.

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction in the country, alongside First Capital Command, and has a history extending half a century.

Per correspondent a specialist, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city for years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "commercial associates".

The criminal group concentrates largely on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking guns, valuable minerals, energy resources, liquor and tobacco.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and police said that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of the state, the political leader, labeled gang affiliates as criminal extremists and described the four police officers who died during the operation as brave public servants.

But the number of casualties in the operation has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities stating they were "shocked".

In a media appearance the next day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He added that the circumstances intensified as the individuals fought back: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they carried out and the disproportionate use of force by the illegal group."

The official additionally stated that the casualties displayed by locals in the area had been "tampered with".

In a post on online platforms, he claimed that certain victims had been taken of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation to security forces".

A police official from the police department further reported that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and arms" were stripped from the casualties and showed footage appearing to show a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse