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Bruno Itan

A photographer who witnessed the consequences of an extensive security raid in the metropolitan area has reported how residents came back with disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness described. They included law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim had been decapitated - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he said. Many also had evidence of knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals were killed in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

The photographer reported that he was first alerted to the raid Tuesday morning by local people living in Alemão, who contacted him alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer traveled to the healthcare center, where the bodies were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that the police blocked media personnel from going into the affected area, where the security measures 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 the area, explained he was able to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he stayed until the next morning.

He explained during the night, community members commenced searching the mountainous area that borders the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for family members who were unaccounted for after the operation.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the recovered bodies in an open area - the photographer's images show the response of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of what occurred affected me deeply: the grief of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, crying, furious relatives," the photographer recalled.

The photographer

The official of the state declared that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at stopping an illegal organization referred to as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Initially, the Rio state government stated that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates shows that 117 individuals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, that offers legal help to the poor, has put the total number of casualties to be 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has managed to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations in the country, in company with a rival criminal group, with a background spanning over five decades.

Per Brazilian journalist a specialist, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio extensively, the gang "functions as a network" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "business partners".

The organization concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, additionally trafficking weapons, gold, fuel, liquor and tobacco.

Per law enforcement statements, gang members possess significant weaponry and police said that during the raid, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the region, the government representative, described gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of casualties during the raid has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities saying it was "shocked".

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

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We aimed to arrest them all alive," he declared.

He further explained that the events intensified because the suspects fought back: "It occurred of the resistance they executed and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

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

In a post on social media, he asserted that particular individuals had been removed of the camouflage clothing he said they had been wearing "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force further reported that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and firearms" were stripped from the bodies and displayed evidence appearing to show a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse