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4h ago

At Least 64 Killed as 2,500 Officers Storm Rio Favelas in Hunt for Red Command Leaders

Rights groups are demanding independent inquiries into the deaths.

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EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT - A police officer stands over bloodied people lying in the back of a police truck brought to the Getulio Vargas Hospital during a police operation against alleged drug traffickers in the Complexo do Alemao favela where the criminal organization "Comando Vermelho" operates in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Members of the military police special unit detain suspected drug dealers during a police operation against drug trafficking at the favela do Penha, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 28. REUTERS/Aline Massuca

Overview

  • Authorities launched 'Operation Containment' after a year-long probe, sending helicopters, armored and demolition vehicles into the Complexo da Penha and Complexo do Alemão.
  • Officials report 81 arrests, seizures of at least 42 rifles and large quantities of drugs, and allege gang use of weaponised drones against police.
  • Governor Cláudio Castro calls it the largest operation in state history and labels the violence 'narco-terrorism', while seeking broader federal support after earlier requests for military help were declined.
  • Casualty counts reported by outlets vary, with officials saying at least 64 are dead including four police officers, and warning the toll could rise as action continues.
  • Gun battles disrupted schools, health services and transport, with roads blocked and buses commandeered, as Human Rights Watch and local legislators press prosecutors to investigate each killing.