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The eyewitness

A reporter who observed the results of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has described how local people returned with disfigured remains of those who had died.

The victims "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the photographer described. They included security forces.

One individual was discovered headless - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he reported. Numerous victims displayed evidence of knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

The photographer stated that he was first alerted about the operation in the early hours by local people living in Alemão, who contacted him telling him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer made his way to a local medical facility, where the victims were being brought.

The photographer stated that law enforcement stopped members of the press from going into the operation zone, where the operation were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel created a barrier and announced: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in the area, reported he managed to enter into the restricted zone, where he remained until the next morning.

He described during the night, local residents started looking the hillside that separates the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Residents from the Penha area proceeded to place the discovered victims in a square - the documented evidence reveal the response of those present.

"The brutality of the situation affected me profoundly: the grief of the families, women collapsing, pregnant wives, crying, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

The eyewitness

The official of Rio state announced that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 officers was aimed at preventing a gang referred to as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

At first, local officials claimed that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives during the action.

They have since said that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 individuals were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has put the overall count of casualties as 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that recently has managed to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, together with another major gang, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Per Brazilian journalist an expert, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio extensively, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and acting as "business partners".

The gang concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, but also smuggles guns, gold, petroleum products, alcohol smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The governor of the state, the political leader, labeled Red Command members as drug terrorists and called the four police officers 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".

During a press briefing the next day, the official justified security actions.

"We did not plan to kill anyone. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He added that the circumstances intensified due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they implemented and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The state leader also said that the bodies presented by community members in Penha were "altered".

Through a message on social media, he claimed that particular individuals had been removed of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

A police official of Rio's civil police force further reported that tactical gear, vests, and arms" had been removed from the casualties and showed footage apparently demonstrating a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse