🔗 Share this article

The eyewitness

An eyewitness who observed the results of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has reported how residents brought back disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer described. They included those of police officers.

One of the bodies was found without a head - additional victims were "completely mutilated", he said. Many also had what he described as stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action in the city.

The photographer explained that he was first alerted about the operation Tuesday morning by community members living in Alemão, who sent him messages informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness traveled to a local medical facility, where the victims were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces stopped members of the press from accessing the operation zone, where the operation were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel established a perimeter and declared: 'The press are not allowed to pass'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in the area, stated he succeeded to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until the next morning.

He reported that Tuesday night, community members commenced searching the elevated terrain that separates Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones who had been missing after the operation.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the located casualties in an open area - the photographer's images display the response of those present.

"The harsh reality of it all shook me deeply: the sorrow of loved ones, mothers fainting, women carrying children, sobbing, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The governor of the region stated that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 law enforcement members was designed to halting a criminal group known as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

Initially, local officials maintained that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" were fatally injured during the action.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates indicates that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

The legal assistance organization, that offers legal help to disadvantaged individuals, has put the overall count of people killed at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization is the only criminal group which in recent years has managed to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction in Brazil, alongside First Capital Command, and has a history extending half a century.

According to correspondent an expert, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio for years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and becoming "business partners".

The organization engages primarily in illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking firearms, precious metals, fuel, alcohol and tobacco.

According to the authorities, gang members possess significant weaponry and officials reported that during the raid, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of Rio state, the government representative, labeled gang affiliates as criminal extremists and described the four police officers fatally injured in the action as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the operation has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "appalled".

At a news conference the following day, the state leader justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He further explained that the events had escalated due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It resulted of the resistance they executed and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The governor further reported that the bodies displayed by locals in the area had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on online platforms, he said that certain victims had been taken of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation onto the police".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force also said that military attire, protective equipment, and weapons" had been removed from the casualties and showed footage seemingly depicting an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse