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The eyewitness

A photographer who documented the results of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has recounted how residents came back with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "kept coming: the count kept increasing", Bruno Itan described. The total contained law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim was found without a head - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he reported. Several bodies showed evidence of knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

Bruno Itan reported that he initially learned to the raid in the early hours by community members living in Alemão, who sent him messages telling him gunfire had erupted.

The eyewitness went to a local medical facility, where the casualties were coming in.

Itan explained that the police prevented journalists from going into the operation zone, where the operation were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel established a perimeter and declared: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in that neighborhood, reported he succeeded to make his way into the restricted zone, where he stayed until dawn.

He described that evening, area inhabitants commenced searching the mountainous area that separates Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for family members who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood organized the recovered bodies in a public space - and Itan's photos display the emotions of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of the situation shook me deeply: the sorrow of the families, mothers fainting, women carrying children, sobbing, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The official of the state announced that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 security personnel was intended to stopping a criminal group known as the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

At first, state authorities maintained that "60 suspects and four police officers" had been killed during the action.

Authorities later reported that early calculations suggests that 117 alleged criminals lost their lives.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to the poor, has calculated the overall count of casualties to be 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs nationally, alongside another major gang, and has a history dating back more than 50 years.

Per correspondent an expert, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio for years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "business partners".

The criminal group engages primarily in illegal drug trade, while also dealing in weapons, precious metals, fuel, beverages cigarettes.

Based on official reports, gang members are well armed and authorities stated that during the raid, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the region, Cláudio Castro, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and called the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as courageous individuals.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the security action has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "horrified".

At a news conference the next day, Governor Castro supported law enforcement.

"There was no objective to cause fatalities. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He added that the situation had escalated as the individuals fought back: "It occurred of the resistance they implemented and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The official further reported that the casualties displayed by locals in Penha had been "tampered with".

Through a message on social media, he said that certain victims had been taken of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

A police official of Rio's civil police force also said that military attire, protective equipment, and weapons" had been removed from the casualties and presented video apparently demonstrating a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse