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Bruno Itan

A photographer who witnessed the consequences of a massive Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has reported how community members came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan described. They included those of police officers.

A particular victim had been decapitated - additional victims were "completely mutilated", he said. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals were killed during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the bloodiest action in the city.

The photographer explained that he was first alerted concerning the action in the early hours by local people living in Alemão, who contacted him alerting him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The photographer went to a local medical facility, where the victims were coming in.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from going into the affected area, where the police action was under way.

"Security forces created a barrier and said: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in that neighborhood, explained he succeeded to enter into the restricted zone, where he remained until dawn.

He described that Tuesday night, community members commenced searching the elevated terrain which divides the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown after the operation.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the discovered victims in a square - and Itan's photos show the emotions of those present.

"The harsh reality of it all affected me deeply: the pain of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, sobbing, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The governor of the state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 officers was designed to stopping a criminal group called the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Originally, the Rio state government maintained that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed during the action.

They have since said that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has estimated the final tally of people killed as 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has succeeded to expand its territory across the region.

It is widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations in the country, alongside First Capital Command, and has a history spanning over five decades.

Based on correspondent an expert, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city extensively, the gang "works as a system" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "business partners".

The gang concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, while also dealing in weapons, gold, energy resources, liquor and tobacco.

Based on official reports, gang members are well armed and officials reported that during the raid, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, labeled organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and called the four police officers killed in the raid as courageous individuals.

But the number of people killed during the raid has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "horrified".

During a press briefing the following day, the state leader defended the police force.

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We intended to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He continued that the circumstances worsened due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It occurred of the counterattack they implemented and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The state leader further reported that the casualties presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on social media, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

A police official of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that military attire, protective equipment, and weapons" were taken away from the victims and displayed evidence apparently demonstrating an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse