Residents on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro found the bodies of at least eight people in a mangrove swamp after a prolonged exchange of fire with local police.
The bodies were found near a shack complex, Salguero, in the town of Sao Gonzalo, a poor and violent area belonging to metropolitan Rio. Locals told the media that they believe other victims will be found.
"The corpses were thrown into the swamp and showed signs of torture. They were stacked on top of each other. "It was definitely a massacre," a resident told the G1 news website.
Other residents, who asked not to be named, gave similar images to other media. The bodies were found after a police operation in the area, which lasted all weekend, on the occasion of the death of a local police officer while patrolling there, on Saturday.
The military police did not respond to accusations by residents that its officers were involved in torture and mass executions. In its announcement, it only stated that "so far, eight bodies have been found". Police said they intervened to "stabilize" the area after the violent actions of drug gangs.
(KYPE-APE-Reuters / GSA / AHR)