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The photographer

A reporter who documented the consequences of an extensive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has described how community members came back with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The victims "continued arriving: the count kept increasing", the photographer stated. Among them were security forces.

A particular victim had been decapitated - additional victims were "totally disfigured", he said. Several bodies showed what he described as stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation on a criminal gang - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

The photographer explained that he initially learned concerning the action early on Tuesday by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages telling him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The photographer went to a local medical facility, where the casualties were arriving.

The photographer stated that the police prevented journalists from going into the affected area, where the security measures was under way.

"Security forces created a barrier and declared: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in the community, reported he was able to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he stayed through the night.

He explained that Tuesday night, community members started looking the mountainous area that separates the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives who had been missing since the police raid.

Local people from the Penha area arranged the recovered bodies in a public space - the photographer's images reveal the emotions of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of it all shook me deeply: the grief of relatives, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, sobbing, furious relatives," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The official of Rio state announced that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 officers was designed to halting an illegal organization referred to as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

At first, local officials claimed that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured during the action.

They have since said that initial estimates indicates that 117 individuals lost their lives.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to low-income residents, has estimated the total number of fatalities at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization is the only criminal group that in the past few years has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs nationally, together with a rival criminal group, and has a history extending half a century.

Per correspondent an expert, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio extensively, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "commercial associates".

The gang focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, while also dealing in firearms, gold, energy resources, alcohol and tobacco.

Per law enforcement statements, gang members possess significant weaponry and police said that throughout the operation, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of Rio state, the political leader, described gang affiliates as criminal extremists and described the security forces killed in the raid as courageous individuals.

Nevertheless, the total of people killed during the raid has received condemnation from UN human rights officials saying it was "appalled".

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

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He continued that the situation worsened due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It occurred of the counterattack they implemented and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The state leader also said that the bodies displayed by locals in the neighborhood were "altered".

Via a statement through digital channels, he asserted that some of them had been stripped of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force further reported that military attire, vests, and firearms" were taken away from the casualties and presented video seemingly depicting a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse