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The photographer

A photographer who witnessed the aftermath of an extensive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how residents came back with badly injured victims of those who had died.

The casualties "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness stated. They included law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim was discovered headless - additional victims were "completely mutilated", he reported. Many also had what appeared to be knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

The photographer stated that he initially learned concerning the action early on Tuesday by community members living in Alemão, who reached out informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

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

The photographer stated that law enforcement blocked media personnel from entering the operation zone, where the police action were occurring.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and said: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in that neighborhood, stated he succeeded to gain access past the security perimeter, where he stayed until the next morning.

He explained that Tuesday night, local residents commenced searching the mountainous area that borders the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood organized the located casualties in a public space - the photographer's images show the reaction of the people there.

"The harsh reality of what occurred shook me profoundly: the pain of relatives, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, sobbing, furious relatives," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The state leader of the region announced that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 security personnel was intended to stopping a gang referred to as Red Command from growing their influence.

Originally, the Rio state government maintained that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured in the raid.

They have since said that initial estimates indicates that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has estimated the total number of casualties as 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has succeeded to increase its control across the region.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs nationally, alongside a rival criminal group, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Per correspondent an expert, who has been covering crime in Rio for years, Red Command "works as a system" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "business partners".

The criminal group concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking guns, gold, fuel, beverages and tobacco.

Per law enforcement statements, organization members possess significant weaponry and police said that throughout the operation, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of the state, the political leader, labeled Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and called the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities in the operation has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "shocked".

During a press briefing the following day, the official defended the police force.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He added that the events worsened as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It resulted of the retaliation they executed and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The official additionally stated that the casualties shown by residents in the area had been "tampered with".

In a post through digital channels, he asserted that particular individuals had been stripped of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

A police official representing security forces additionally stated that tactical gear, body armor, and weapons" were taken away from the bodies and presented video apparently demonstrating a man removing tactical gear {off a corpse