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The eyewitness

A photographer who observed the results of a large-scale law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how residents brought back disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The victims "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness described. They included those of police officers.

One of the bodies had been decapitated - while others appeared "severely damaged", he explained. Several bodies showed evidence of knife injuries.

More than 120 people were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan reported that he was first alerted concerning the action in the early hours by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages alerting him an armed confrontation was occurring.

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

The eyewitness reported that law enforcement stopped members of the press from accessing the operation zone, where the operation were taking place.

"Police officers formed a line and said: 'Media representatives cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who grew up in the community, reported he managed to gain access past the security perimeter, where he remained until the next morning.

He reported that evening, local residents commenced searching the elevated terrain which divides the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people living in Penha proceeded to place the located casualties in a square - and Itan's photos display the emotions of the people there.

"The violence of what occurred impacted me deeply: the grief of the families, women collapsing, women carrying children, crying, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The governor of Rio state announced that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 security personnel was aimed at preventing a gang called Red Command from expanding its territory.

Initially, the Rio state government maintained that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the raid.

They have since said that early calculations indicates that 117 individuals were fatally injured.

The legal assistance organization, that offers legal help to the poor, has calculated the total number of casualties to be 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity that recently has been able to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered as a major illegal faction in the country, alongside a rival criminal group, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Per reporter Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city over many years, the gang "functions as a network" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "commercial associates".

The gang concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, while also dealing in weapons, gold, petroleum products, alcohol and tobacco.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates are well armed and police said that during the raid, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The official of the state, the government representative, labeled gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and called the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

However, the count of people killed in the operation has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "appalled".

In a media appearance the next day, Governor Castro defended the police force.

"There was no objective to cause fatalities. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he said.

He further explained that the events had escalated as the individuals had retaliated: "It resulted of the retaliation they executed and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The official also said that the victims presented by community members in the neighborhood were "altered".

Via a statement on online platforms, he claimed that particular individuals had been stripped of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation to security forces".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, vests, and arms" were taken away from the casualties and displayed evidence appearing to show a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse