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The photographer

A reporter who witnessed the aftermath of a large-scale law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how community members brought back disfigured remains of those who had died.

The casualties "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", Bruno Itan described. The total contained security forces.

A particular victim had been decapitated - others were "completely mutilated", he explained. Many also had what appeared to be knife injuries.

More than 120 people lost their lives during the security action against a criminal group - the most lethal operation in the city.

Bruno Itan explained that he was first alerted concerning the action in the early hours by community members of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages telling him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the casualties were coming in.

The photographer stated that security forces stopped members of the press from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the police action was under way.

"Police officers created a barrier and declared: 'The press doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who spent his childhood in the community, reported he was able to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he stayed until dawn.

He reported during the night, community members began to search the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Residents living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in an open area - and Itan's photos show the response of the people there.

"The violence of the situation impacted me deeply: the sorrow of relatives, women collapsing, expectant spouses, crying, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

The eyewitness

The official of Rio state announced that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 officers was aimed at stopping a gang known as the criminal faction from increasing their control.

Initially, local officials claimed that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" were fatally injured during the action.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates shows that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has estimated the overall count of casualties at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, alongside First Capital Command, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades.

Based on reporter a specialist, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city for years, the gang "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and becoming "operational allies".

The organization focuses mainly on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking firearms, gold, energy resources, alcohol cigarettes.

According to the authorities, gang members possess significant weaponry and officials reported that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The official of the region, the government representative, labeled Red Command members as criminal extremists and called the security forces killed in the raid as brave public servants.

However, the count of people killed in the security action has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities saying it was "appalled".

During a press briefing the next day, the official supported law enforcement.

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

He further explained that the circumstances worsened as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the counterattack they carried out and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The official also said that the bodies presented by community members in the area were "altered".

Via a statement on online platforms, he claimed that particular individuals had been taken of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation to security forces".

A police official of Rio's civil police force further reported that tactical gear, protective equipment, and weapons" had been removed from the bodies and showed footage appearing to show an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse