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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who observed the results of a massive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has recounted how local people brought back disfigured remains of those who had died.

The casualties "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer stated. The total contained security forces.

One individual had been decapitated - additional victims were "severely damaged", he explained. Numerous victims displayed what he described as blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The photographer reported that he was first alerted to the raid Tuesday morning by local people living in Alemão, who reached out telling him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter went to the healthcare center, where the casualties were being brought.

Itan explained that law enforcement blocked media personnel from accessing the operation zone, where the police action was under way.

"Police officers created a barrier and announced: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in the community, reported he managed to make his way into the restricted zone, where he continued until the next morning.

He described that evening, area inhabitants started looking the mountainous area which divides the Penha neighborhood from the adjacent Alemão area for family members who had been missing following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood organized the discovered victims in a square - and Itan's photos reveal the reaction of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of the situation shook me profoundly: the pain of the families, women collapsing, women carrying children, crying, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

The eyewitness

The governor of the region declared that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 security personnel was aimed at preventing a gang known as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Originally, local officials maintained that "60 suspects and four police officers" were fatally injured in the operation.

They have since said that early calculations suggests that 117 individuals lost their lives.

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has estimated the final tally of casualties to be 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has managed to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, in company with First Capital Command, and has a history extending half a century.

Per reporter an expert, who has been covering criminal activity in the city extensively, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and serving as "business partners".

The organization focuses mainly on drug trafficking, but also smuggles weapons, gold, fuel, liquor smoking products.

According to the authorities, criminal affiliates are well armed and officials reported that throughout the operation, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of the region, the political leader, described gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the security forces fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

But the number of fatalities in the security action has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "shocked".

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Governor Castro supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We wanted to arrest them all alive," he said.

He further explained that the situation worsened as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they implemented and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The governor additionally stated that the victims displayed by locals in the area had been "manipulated".

Through a message through digital channels, he claimed that certain victims had been removed of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that tactical gear, protective equipment, and arms" were stripped from the bodies and presented video seemingly depicting an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse