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The photographer

A photographer who documented the consequences of an extensive security raid in the Brazilian city has recounted how local people brought back badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "kept piling up: the numbers kept rising", the photographer described. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

One individual was found without a head - additional victims were "severely damaged", he explained. Many also had evidence of blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims were killed during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

The photographer reported that he was first alerted to the raid Tuesday morning by residents living in Alemão, who contacted him telling him there was a shoot-out.

The reporter made his way to the healthcare center, where the casualties were arriving.

The photographer stated that security forces prevented journalists from going into the operation zone, where the security measures was under way.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and said: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in the area, stated he succeeded to enter past the security perimeter, where he stayed until the next morning.

He described during the night, area inhabitants began to search the mountainous area that separates the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for loved ones who had been missing following the security action.

Community members from the Penha area organized the discovered victims in an open area - the photographer's images display the reaction of the people there.

"The brutality of what occurred affected me profoundly: the grief of the families, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, crying, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The state leader of Rio state announced that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 law enforcement members was intended to preventing a criminal group called the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

Initially, state authorities stated that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation.

Authorities later reported that early calculations suggests that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has put the overall count of casualties as 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has succeeded to make territorial gains throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs nationally, alongside First Capital Command, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Based on reporter an expert, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city for years, the gang "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and acting as "business partners".

The organization engages primarily in illegal drug trade, while also dealing in guns, precious metals, fuel, liquor and tobacco.

Based on official reports, gang members possess significant weaponry and officials reported that during the raid, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of Rio state, the government representative, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and referred to the security forces fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

However, the count of people killed in the security action has received condemnation from international human rights authorities saying it was "shocked".

During a press briefing the next day, the official defended the police force.

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He further explained that the events intensified because the suspects fought back: "It resulted of the counterattack they carried out and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The governor also said that the bodies shown by residents in Penha had been "manipulated".

In a post on social media, he claimed that certain victims had been stripped of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative from the police department additionally stated that tactical gear, body armor, and arms" had been removed from the victims and displayed evidence appearing to show an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse