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The eyewitness

A reporter who documented the aftermath of a massive law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has described how residents returned with mutilated bodies of people who lost their lives.

The victims "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer stated. The total contained security forces.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - additional victims were "severely damaged", he said. Numerous victims displayed evidence of stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were killed during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness stated that he initially learned to the raid early on Tuesday by residents living in Alemão, who sent him messages informing him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer traveled to a local medical facility, where the victims were arriving.

Itan explained that law enforcement prevented journalists from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the operation was under way.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and declared: 'The press are not allowed to pass'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in that neighborhood, reported he was able to enter into the restricted zone, where he continued through the night.

He reported that evening, local residents began to search the mountainous area that separates the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for family members who had been missing following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the recovered bodies in a public space - and Itan's photos show the response of the people there.

"The violence of it all impacted me deeply: the pain of relatives, women collapsing, expectant spouses, crying, furious relatives," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The official of the region announced that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 officers was aimed at halting a criminal group referred to as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Initially, the Rio state government maintained that sixty alleged criminals along with four officers" had been killed during the action.

Authorities later reported that early calculations shows that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to the poor, has calculated the overall count of fatalities to be 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command is the only criminal group that recently has been able to make territorial gains across the region.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction in Brazil, alongside First Capital Command, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

According to reporter an expert, who has been covering criminal activity in the city over many years, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with local criminal leaders joining the organization and serving as "commercial associates".

The organization concentrates largely on drug trafficking, but also smuggles firearms, precious metals, energy resources, liquor cigarettes.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates are well armed and police said that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, described gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as brave public servants.

However, the count of people killed in the security action has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "shocked".

During a press briefing the following day, Governor Castro supported law enforcement.

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

He added that the situation worsened as the individuals fought back: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they executed and the disproportionate use of force by the illegal group."

The state leader also said that the victims presented by community members in Penha had been "manipulated".

In a post through digital channels, he said that particular individuals had been removed of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation onto the police".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces additionally stated that military attire, body armor, and arms" were taken away from the victims and showed footage seemingly depicting an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse