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The photographer

A reporter who observed the consequences of a massive law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has recounted how residents brought back mutilated bodies of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "kept piling up: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness described. They included those of police officers.

One individual had been decapitated - others were "totally disfigured", he explained. Several bodies showed evidence of stab wounds.

More than 120 people were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the deadliest such raid in the city.

The photographer stated that he initially learned about the operation early on Tuesday by community members living in Alemão, who contacted him alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter made his way to a local medical facility, where the victims were arriving.

The photographer stated that the police prevented journalists from entering the affected area, where the security measures was under way.

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

But Itan, who spent his childhood in that neighborhood, explained he managed to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he continued through the night.

He explained that evening, area inhabitants began to search the hillside that borders Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Community members living in Penha proceeded to place the located casualties in a public space - and Itan's photos reveal the response of those present.

"The harsh reality of it all affected me profoundly: the grief of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, crying, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The state leader of Rio state announced that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at halting an illegal organization known as Comando Vermelho from expanding its territory.

Initially, the Rio state government maintained that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation.

They have since said that their "preliminary" count shows that 117 individuals lost their lives.

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to low-income residents, has put the total number of people killed as 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command is the only criminal group which in recent years has succeeded to make territorial gains across the region.

Experts commonly view as a major illegal faction nationally, in company with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

According to reporter an expert, who has long reported on crime in Rio for years, the gang "works as a system" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "business partners".

The organization engages primarily in drug trafficking, while also dealing in firearms, gold, petroleum products, beverages smoking products.

Based on official reports, organization members are well armed and officials reported that during the raid, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of Rio state, the political leader, characterized organization participants as drug terrorists and called the four police officers who died during the operation as brave public servants.

But the number of casualties during the raid has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities stating they were "shocked".

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Governor Castro defended the police force.

"We did not plan to kill anyone. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he said.

He added that the events intensified because the suspects had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they implemented and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The official additionally stated that the victims presented by community members in Penha were "altered".

Via a statement through digital channels, he claimed that some of them had been removed of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force further reported that "camouflage clothing, vests, and arms" had been removed from the bodies and presented video appearing to show an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse