🔗 Share this article

The photographer

A reporter who documented the consequences of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how local people came back with mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The bodies "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan described. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim had been decapitated - while others appeared "severely damaged", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what he described as blade trauma.

More than 120 people lost their lives during the security action against a criminal group - the most lethal operation in the city.

The eyewitness stated that residents first notified him to the raid in the early hours by community members living in Alemão, who reached out alerting him there was a shoot-out.

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

Itan explained that law enforcement prevented journalists from going into the affected area, where the security measures were taking place.

"Police officers formed a line and announced: 'Media representatives cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who grew up in the community, explained he succeeded to make his way past the security perimeter, where he continued through the night.

He explained during the night, area inhabitants started looking the elevated terrain that borders the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people from the Penha area arranged the recovered bodies in a square - the documented evidence show the reaction of those present.

"The harsh reality of the situation affected me profoundly: the sorrow of the families, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, crying, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The official of the region announced that the extensive law enforcement effort involving around 2,500 officers was designed to stopping a criminal group known as the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

At first, local officials stated that "60 suspects along with four officers" had been killed in the operation.

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

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has calculated the final tally of people killed to be 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that recently 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, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

Based on reporter an expert, who has long reported on illegal operations in Rio for years, Red Command "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "commercial associates".

The criminal group focuses mainly on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking firearms, precious metals, petroleum products, beverages cigarettes.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates are well armed and police said that while the action was underway, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of the state, the government representative, characterized Red Command members as drug terrorists and referred to the four police officers who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

But the number of fatalities in the security action has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "shocked".

In a media appearance on Wednesday, the state leader supported law enforcement.

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He added that the events worsened due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they implemented and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The official additionally stated that the victims presented by community members in Penha had been "manipulated".

In a post on social media, he claimed that particular individuals had been stripped of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame to security forces".

Felipe Curi representing security forces also said that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and weapons" had been removed from the casualties and presented video appearing to show a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse