Facts

• On Thurs., at least 18 people died as tactical teams of Rio de Janeiro's state police raided a complex of favelas - or slums - known as Complexo do Alemão to tackle a group allegedly involved in cargo theft and bank robberies.^[1]
• Two of the deceased included a bystander and a police officer, while the remainder are still unidentified.^[2]
• Rio state police declared that the still unidentified casualties are likely to be criminals, claiming all of them died confronting security forces.^[1]
• The operation - which lasted 12 hrs - involved 400 officers, 10 armored vehicles, and four helicopters. Four men were arrested and the police seized four rifles, two pistols, and a .50 machine gun.^[3]
• This comes after a number of people died in May during a police raid in Vila Cruzeiro favela. Last year, two dozen - including a police officer - were killed in the Jacarezinho area of the city.^[4]
• While Brazil's police forces are among the deadliest in the world, officials claim to try their best to avoid conflict, acting solely in reaction to gang attacks.^[3]