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At least 121 people were killed in a major police raid targeting a drug-trafficking gang in Rio de Janeiro, authorities said Thursday morning.
The operation began in two areas of the city on Tuesday, following which fierce firing took place. An unknown number of people were injured. According to officials, four police officers are also among the dead.
Human rights organizations have called for an investigation into the deaths, calling the operation one of the most violent in Brazil’s recent history.
Police Said raid followed a year-long investigation into the Red Command, a criminal gang that controls drug trafficking and other illegal activities in the low-income communities of Complexo do Alemão and Penha. The group originated in Rio’s prison system and has grown its influence in recent years.
Police said officers arrested 113 people, seized 118 weapons and seized more than a tonne of drugs during the operation.
Daily life was disrupted in areas affected by the violence. schools were closed, a local university canceled classes and buses were used to block roads.
Rio has long been the site of deadly police raids. In March 2005, 29 people were killed in the Baixada Fluminense area bordering Rio. In May 2021, a raid in the Jacarezinho favela left 28 people dead.
However, the scale of Tuesday’s operation was unprecedented. The action sparked protests and accusations of excessive use of force and calls for the resignation of Rio’s governor.
On Thursday morning, community leaders in Penha gathered at the headquarters of favela rights group CUFA to prepare legal aid for bereaved families. Many shops remained closed and the atmosphere was still gloomy.
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Reported from Gabriela Sa Pessoa Sao Paulo,
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