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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who witnessed the aftermath of a large-scale security raid in the metropolitan area has described how local people returned with badly injured victims of those who had died.

The victims "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness reported. Among them were security forces.

One individual was discovered headless - additional victims were "severely damaged", he explained. Several bodies showed what he described as stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were killed during the security action on a criminal gang - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

The photographer stated that residents first notified him to the raid Tuesday morning by community members living in Alemão, who contacted him alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The eyewitness made his way to the healthcare center, where the bodies were being brought.

The photographer stated that law enforcement prevented journalists from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the police action were taking place.

"Police officers created a barrier and said: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who grew up in the area, explained he was able to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he continued through the night.

He described that evening, area inhabitants began to search the mountainous area that separates the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for family members who were unaccounted for after the operation.

Residents living in Penha organized the recovered bodies in a square - the photographer's images reveal the emotions of the people there.

"The brutality of the situation affected me a lot: the sorrow of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, crying, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of the region announced that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 security personnel was intended to halting a gang known as Red Command from increasing their control.

Initially, state authorities claimed that sixty individuals and four police officers" had been killed in the operation.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates shows that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has put the final tally of fatalities as 132.

According to researchers, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has been able to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations in the country, in company with another major gang, with a background extending half a century.

According to Brazilian journalist an expert, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio for years, the criminal organization "works as a system" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "business partners".

The criminal group focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles firearms, gold, fuel, beverages and tobacco.

According to the authorities, gang members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that during the raid, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the region, the government representative, described gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and described the security forces killed in the raid as brave public servants.

But the number of casualties in the security action has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials stating they were "shocked".

At a news conference the following day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He added that the situation intensified as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It resulted of the resistance they carried out and the disproportionate use of force by the illegal group."

The state leader additionally stated that the victims shown by residents in Penha had been "tampered with".

In a post on social media, he claimed that some of them had been removed of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi from the police department also said that tactical gear, vests, and firearms" had been removed from the victims and showed footage seemingly depicting a man stripping military attire {off a corpse