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The photographer

A photographer who witnessed the consequences of a large-scale security raid in Rio de Janeiro has reported how residents came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The victims "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", the photographer reported. The total contained security forces.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - additional victims were "totally disfigured", he said. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals were killed during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

The eyewitness explained that he initially learned to the raid Tuesday morning by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages informing him there was a shoot-out.

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

The photographer stated that security forces stopped members of the press from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the operation was under way.

"Security forces formed a line and announced: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in that neighborhood, stated he succeeded to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until the next morning.

He described during the night, area inhabitants commenced searching the hillside that borders the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for family members whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood organized the located casualties in an open area - the photographer's images show the emotions of those present.

"The violence of the situation impacted me a lot: the grief of loved ones, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, sobbing, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The official of the region announced that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 security personnel was intended to preventing a criminal group referred to as Red Command from growing their influence.

At first, the Rio state government maintained that "60 suspects along with four officers" had been killed during the action.

They have since said that initial estimates suggests that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to low-income residents, has estimated the final tally of casualties to be 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has succeeded to expand its territory across the region.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs in the country, alongside a rival criminal group, with a background spanning over five decades.

Per reporter an expert, who has been covering criminal activity in the city for years, the gang "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "operational allies".

The organization engages primarily in illegal drug trade, while also dealing in firearms, valuable minerals, fuel, beverages smoking products.

Based on official reports, organization members are well armed and officials reported that throughout the operation, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, labeled organization participants as criminal extremists and referred to the four police officers who died during the operation as brave public servants.

But the number of people killed during the raid has received condemnation from international human rights authorities stating they were "shocked".

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

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

He further explained that the circumstances had escalated due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It occurred of the resistance they carried out and the excessive violence from the gang members."

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

In a post on social media, he claimed that certain victims had been removed of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi from the police department further reported that tactical gear, vests, and weapons" had been removed from the casualties and presented video seemingly depicting an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse