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The eyewitness

A reporter who witnessed the aftermath of a massive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has reported how residents returned with badly injured victims of those who had died.

The bodies "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness stated. They included those of police officers.

A particular victim had been decapitated - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he explained. Numerous victims displayed what he described as blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation in the city.

The photographer stated that he was first alerted concerning the action in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who reached out alerting him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness went to the healthcare center, where the bodies were arriving.

The eyewitness reported that security forces prevented journalists from accessing the affected area, where the security measures were occurring.

"Police officers created a barrier and said: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who was raised in the area, explained he succeeded to enter past the security perimeter, where he continued until the next morning.

He reported that Tuesday night, local residents started looking the hillside that separates Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for relatives who had been missing after the operation.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the discovered victims in an open area - the documented evidence show the emotions of the people there.

"The violence of the situation shook me deeply: the pain of the families, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, sobbing, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The official of the region announced that the extensive law enforcement effort involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was intended to stopping a criminal group known as the criminal faction from increasing their control.

Initially, local officials maintained that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates suggests that 117 alleged criminals lost their lives.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has put the total number of casualties at 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has succeeded to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, alongside a rival criminal group, with a background extending half a century.

Based on correspondent an expert, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio for years, Red Command "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders joining the organization and serving as "operational allies".

The organization concentrates largely on drug trafficking, but also smuggles firearms, precious metals, energy resources, alcohol smoking products.

Based on official reports, gang members possess significant weaponry and officials reported that during the raid, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of the region, Cláudio Castro, described Red Command members as criminal extremists and called the security forces fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

But the number of people killed during the raid has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "shocked".

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

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We intended to arrest them all alive," he declared.

He added that the events worsened because the suspects had retaliated: "It occurred of the retaliation they implemented and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The governor further reported that the victims shown by residents in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Through a message on social media, he claimed that some of them had been removed of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

Felipe Curi representing security forces further reported that tactical gear, body armor, and arms" had been removed from the casualties and showed footage apparently demonstrating a man stripping military attire {off a corpse