The operation targeted the Red Command gang in the favelas of Complexo do Alemão and Penha, and included the use of helicopters and armoured vehicles.
Authorities described it as one of the most extensive security operations in the city’s history. Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro said 75 rifles and a large quantity of drugs were seized during the raid, which he called the largest ever conducted in the state. The scale of the violence has prompted human rights groups to demand a full investigation into each death.
An Associated Press journalist reported seeing the bodies of at least two police officers among ten brought to a local hospital in Penha, though police have not confirmed any officer deaths. The state government has not provided details on civilian casualties, while officials said an unknown number of people were wounded in the crossfire.