Brazilian police raid in Rio slum leaves 25 dead, authorities say

[Judi Lynn]

1. Rio police draws international ire as 25 killed in drug gun battle

13 minutes ago

At least 25 people were killed in a shootout between suspected drug traffickers and police in Rio de Janeiro, one of the state's deadliest police raids, police said.

People targeted in the raid today in the poor Jacarezinho neighborhood tried to escape across rooftops as police arrived in armored vehicles and helicopters flew overhead, television images showed. The firefight forced residents to shelter in their homes.

The victims included one police officer, and the remainder were suspected members of the drug-trafficking gang that dominated life in the slum, including some of its leaders, police said.

It was the deadliest single police operation in 16 years for Rio state which has suffered for decades from drug-related violence in its numerous favelas.

The bloodbath prompted criticism from human rights groups including Amnesty International, who lambasted the police for the "reprehensible and unjustifiable" loss of life in a neighborhood mostly populated by Black and poor people.

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https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/442076/rio-police-draws-international-ire-as-25-killed-in-drug-gun-battle