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The eyewitness

A reporter who documented the aftermath of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has recounted how residents came back with disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The victims "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer described. Among them were those of police officers.

A particular victim was found without a head - while others appeared "severely damaged", he explained. Many also had what he described as stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the deadliest such raid in the city.

The eyewitness explained that residents first notified him to the raid Tuesday morning by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out informing him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were arriving.

The photographer stated that security forces blocked media personnel from going into the affected area, where the police action was under way.

"Security forces established a perimeter and declared: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who grew up in the community, explained he succeeded to gain access past the security perimeter, where he continued until the next morning.

He reported that evening, community members began to search the elevated terrain that separates the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for family members whose whereabouts were unknown after the operation.

Residents living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in a square - the documented evidence reveal the reaction of those present.

"The violence of what occurred affected me a lot: the pain of the families, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, weeping, furious relatives," the photographer recalled.

The photographer

The state leader of the state stated that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 security personnel was intended to halting a gang called the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

Originally, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects and four police officers" had been killed during the action.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count shows that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has put the final tally of fatalities as 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has managed to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, together with First Capital Command, with a background extending half a century.

According to correspondent Rafael Soares, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city for years, the gang "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "operational allies".

The organization engages primarily in illegal drug trade, while also dealing in guns, precious metals, fuel, beverages smoking products.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and authorities stated that during the raid, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the region, the political leader, described organization participants as criminal extremists and called the security forces who died during the operation as "heroes".

However, the count of people killed during the raid has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "shocked".

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

"We did not plan to kill anyone. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He continued that the situation intensified because the suspects had retaliated: "It resulted of the counterattack they executed and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The official further reported that the bodies displayed by locals in the neighborhood had been "manipulated".

In a post on online platforms, he said that particular individuals had been taken of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

Felipe Curi representing security forces further reported that "camouflage clothing, vests, and firearms" were stripped from the bodies and showed footage apparently demonstrating a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse