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The photographer

A reporter who documented the results of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has recounted how residents returned with mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The casualties "kept piling up: the numbers kept rising", the photographer stated. Among them were those of police officers.

One individual had been decapitated - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he explained. Numerous victims displayed evidence of stab wounds.

More than 120 people were killed during the security action against a criminal group - the bloodiest action in the city.

The photographer stated that residents first notified him to the raid early on Tuesday by residents living in Alemão, who sent him messages informing him gunfire had erupted.

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

The eyewitness reported that the police blocked media personnel from entering the operation zone, where the police action were taking place.

"Police officers established a perimeter and announced: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who was raised in that neighborhood, stated he was able to enter into the restricted zone, where he stayed through the night.

He reported that Tuesday night, community members commenced searching the elevated terrain which divides the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Residents from the Penha area proceeded to place the recovered bodies in a square - and Itan's photos show the reaction of the people there.

"The brutality of it all affected me profoundly: the pain of the families, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, weeping, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The state leader of the state declared that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 officers was intended to halting a criminal group referred to as the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

At first, local officials stated that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the raid.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates shows that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the overall count of people killed as 132.

According to researchers, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity that recently has been able to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs nationally, alongside a rival criminal group, and has a history extending half a century.

Per correspondent an expert, who has been covering criminal activity in the city extensively, the gang "works as a system" with area gang leaders joining the organization and becoming "business partners".

The gang focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking weapons, gold, fuel, beverages and tobacco.

According to the authorities, gang members possess significant weaponry and officials reported that while the action was underway, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, characterized gang affiliates as criminal extremists and called the security forces killed in the raid as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities during the raid has received condemnation from international human rights authorities stating they were "horrified".

At a news conference the following day, the official justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He further explained that the circumstances worsened because the suspects fought back: "It occurred of the resistance they executed and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the casualties shown by residents in the neighborhood were "altered".

Via a statement through digital channels, he claimed that particular individuals had been removed of military-style attire he said they had been wearing "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force further reported that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and arms" had been removed from the victims and showed footage appearing to show a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse