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The photographer

A reporter who observed the aftermath of a large-scale security raid in Rio de Janeiro has reported how local people came back with mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The bodies "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", Bruno Itan described. Among them were security forces.

A particular victim had been decapitated - additional victims were "severely damaged", he said. Many also had what appeared to be stab wounds.

More than 120 people were killed during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen.

The eyewitness stated that he was first alerted about the operation in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who contacted him telling him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter traveled to the healthcare center, where the bodies were being brought.

The photographer stated that the police blocked media personnel from going into the affected area, where the police action were taking place.

"Police officers established a perimeter and announced: 'The press doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who grew up in that neighborhood, explained he managed to enter past the security perimeter, where he remained until dawn.

He described during the night, community members commenced searching the hillside that borders the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones who were unaccounted for since the police raid.

Local people from the Penha area proceeded to place the located casualties in a public space - and Itan's photos display the reaction of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of it all shook me deeply: the grief of the families, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, sobbing, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The official of the region declared that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 security personnel was designed to halting a gang referred to as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

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

They have since said that initial estimates indicates that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has estimated the total number of fatalities at 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization is the only criminal group that in the past few years has been able to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, together with First Capital Command, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

According to reporter an expert, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio extensively, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "commercial associates".

The gang engages primarily in illegal drug trade, but also smuggles guns, gold, fuel, alcohol smoking products.

According to the authorities, criminal affiliates are well armed and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of the region, Cláudio Castro, described gang affiliates as drug terrorists and described the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities in the security action has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "shocked".

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

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We intended to arrest them all alive," he stated.

He added that the circumstances worsened as the individuals fought back: "It was a consequence of the resistance they executed and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The state leader further reported that the bodies presented by community members in Penha had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on social media, he said that some of them had been removed of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "to transfer accusation onto the police".

A police official representing security forces further reported that military attire, vests, and weapons" were stripped from the victims and presented video appearing to show a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse