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The photographer

A photographer who observed the aftermath of a massive Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has described how community members came back with mutilated bodies of people who lost their lives.

The victims "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan described. They included those of police officers.

One individual had been decapitated - others were "completely mutilated", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what he described as stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were killed during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the deadliest such raid in the city.

Bruno Itan reported that he was first alerted to the raid early on Tuesday by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him telling him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The photographer made his way to the healthcare center, where the casualties were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces stopped members of the press from accessing the operation zone, where the operation were taking place.

"Police officers established a perimeter and said: 'The press are not allowed to pass'."

But Itan, who grew up in that neighborhood, reported he was able to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he continued until the next morning.

He explained that Tuesday night, area inhabitants commenced searching the mountainous area which divides Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for family members who were unaccounted for since the police raid.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood organized the recovered bodies in a public space - and Itan's photos reveal the emotions of those present.

"The harsh reality of what occurred shook me profoundly: the grief of loved ones, women collapsing, pregnant wives, crying, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The governor of Rio state stated that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 officers was aimed at preventing a gang known as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Originally, the Rio state government maintained that "60 suspects along with four officers" had been killed in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates indicates that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

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

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has been able to make territorial gains across the region.

It is widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, together with First Capital Command, with a background spanning over five decades.

Per reporter an expert, who has long reported on crime in Rio extensively, the gang "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "commercial associates".

The gang focuses mainly on narcotics distribution, but also smuggles weapons, valuable minerals, petroleum products, liquor and tobacco.

Per law enforcement statements, organization members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that during the raid, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of Rio state, the government representative, characterized organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and described the security forces fatally injured in the action as courageous individuals.

But the number of fatalities in the security action has received condemnation from international human rights authorities saying it was "appalled".

In a media appearance the following day, the official supported law enforcement.

"There was no objective to cause fatalities. We aimed to arrest them all alive," he said.

He added that the circumstances worsened because the suspects fought back: "It occurred of the resistance they executed and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The official additionally stated that the bodies presented by community members in Penha were "altered".

Via a statement on online platforms, he claimed that some of them had been removed 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 additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and weapons" were stripped from the casualties and showed footage appearing to show a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse