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The photographer

A photographer who observed the consequences of a large-scale security raid in the metropolitan area has recounted how local people brought back mutilated bodies of people who lost their lives.

The victims "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan described. They included security forces.

A particular victim was discovered headless - additional victims were "totally disfigured", he reported. Many also had what appeared to be knife injuries.

More than 120 people were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the most lethal operation in the city.

The eyewitness stated that he initially learned about the operation Tuesday morning by community members living in Alemão, who contacted him telling him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The reporter traveled to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from going into the Penha neighborhood, where the police action were occurring.

"Security forces established a perimeter and declared: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in the community, reported he succeeded to gain access into the restricted zone, where he remained through the night.

He described that Tuesday night, area inhabitants started looking the hillside that borders the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for family members whose whereabouts were unknown after the operation.

Community members from the Penha area organized the recovered bodies in a square - the documented evidence reveal the reaction of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of it all affected me deeply: the pain of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, sobbing, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The official of the state announced that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at halting an illegal organization referred to as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

At first, state authorities stated that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured in the operation.

They have since said that initial estimates suggests that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

The legal assistance organization, that offers legal help to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the total number of people killed to be 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has been able to increase its control across the region.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, alongside First Capital Command, with a background extending half a century.

Based on Brazilian journalist a specialist, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city extensively, the gang "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "commercial associates".

The criminal group concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, additionally trafficking weapons, gold, energy resources, alcohol cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, gang members possess significant weaponry and police said that while the action was underway, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the region, the government representative, described gang affiliates as criminal extremists and called the security forces killed in the raid as "heroes".

However, the count of casualties in the operation has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials stating they were "shocked".

At a news conference on Wednesday, the official justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We intended to detain everyone safely," he said.

He continued that the circumstances had escalated because the suspects fought back: "It resulted of the retaliation they carried out and the excessive violence by those criminals."

The governor additionally stated that the bodies presented by community members in Penha had been "tampered with".

Through a message on social media, he asserted that certain victims had been taken of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces also said that tactical gear, protective equipment, and firearms" were stripped from the bodies and displayed evidence appearing to show an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse