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The photographer

A photographer who observed the aftermath of a large-scale law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has reported how residents brought back mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The victims "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness described. They included law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was found without a head - others were "completely mutilated", he said. Numerous victims displayed what he described as stab wounds.

More than 120 people were killed during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation in the city.

The photographer stated that residents first notified him concerning the action early on Tuesday by local people from the Alemão area, who sent him messages telling him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the casualties were coming in.

Itan explained that law enforcement blocked media personnel from going into the operation zone, where the operation were occurring.

"Law enforcement personnel established a perimeter and announced: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in the community, explained he succeeded to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he continued through the night.

He described that evening, community members commenced searching the elevated terrain that separates Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people living in Penha organized the recovered bodies in an open area - and Itan's photos show the emotions of the people there.

"The harsh reality of the situation shook me a lot: the grief of the families, women collapsing, women carrying children, weeping, angry family members," the photographer recalled.

The photographer

The state leader of the region stated that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was intended to halting a criminal group called Comando Vermelho from expanding its territory.

At first, local officials stated that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed during the action.

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

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has estimated the total number of people killed at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization is the only criminal group that in the past few years has succeeded to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction in the country, in company with First Capital Command, with a background extending half a century.

Per correspondent Rafael Soares, who has been covering criminal activity in the city for years, the gang "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "operational allies".

The criminal group focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, while also dealing in firearms, precious metals, fuel, alcohol and tobacco.

According to the authorities, gang members are well armed and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The official of the state, Cláudio Castro, characterized organization participants as criminal extremists and described the security forces killed in the raid as brave public servants.

But the number of casualties in the security action has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "shocked".

In a media appearance the next day, the official supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He further explained that the events had escalated as the individuals fought back: "It resulted of the resistance they executed and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The official additionally stated that the bodies presented by community members in the neighborhood were "altered".

In a post through digital channels, he said that certain victims had been removed of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

Felipe Curi representing security forces further reported that military attire, body armor, and weapons" were stripped from the victims and presented video apparently demonstrating a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse