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The photographer

An eyewitness who observed the results of a massive law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has described how residents came back with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness described. Among them were those of police officers.

One individual was discovered headless - while others appeared "totally disfigured", he said. Several bodies showed what appeared to be knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation in the city.

The photographer reported that residents first notified him to the raid early on Tuesday by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him informing him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer made his way to the healthcare center, where the victims were coming in.

Itan explained that law enforcement stopped members of the press from accessing the affected area, where the operation was under way.

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

But Itan, who grew up in the community, reported he managed to make his way past the security perimeter, where he remained until the next morning.

He reported that Tuesday night, local residents began to search the elevated terrain that borders the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for family members whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Community members living in Penha arranged the recovered bodies in a public space - the documented evidence show the emotions of those present.

"The harsh reality of what occurred impacted me deeply: the grief of loved ones, women collapsing, pregnant wives, sobbing, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The state leader of Rio state declared that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was designed to stopping a gang called the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

At first, the Rio state government claimed that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives during the action.

They have since said that their "preliminary" count shows that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to low-income residents, has estimated the overall count of casualties at 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has managed to make territorial gains across the region.

Experts commonly view as a major illegal faction in the country, together with another major gang, with a background spanning over five decades.

According to reporter Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio for years, Red Command "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders joining the organization and serving as "operational allies".

The organization focuses mainly on narcotics distribution, but also smuggles weapons, gold, petroleum products, alcohol smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of Rio state, the government representative, labeled Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and described the four police officers who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the security action has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities saying it was "horrified".

In a media appearance the following day, the official defended the police force.

"There was no objective to kill anyone. We intended to detain everyone safely," he said.

He continued that the situation intensified due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It occurred of the retaliation they implemented and the excessive violence by those criminals."

The governor also said that the victims displayed by locals in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on social media, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

Felipe Curi from the police department further reported that military attire, vests, and firearms" were taken away from the victims and presented video apparently demonstrating a person stripping military attire {off a corpse