The UN human rights office said Tuesday it was "horrified" by police raids on drug traffickers in Rio de Janeiro that left at least 64 dead, calling for swift investigations.
Up to 2,500 heavily armed officers took part in the operation targeting Brazil's main drug-trafficking gang in two poor neighbourhoods in the north of the city.
"We are horrified by the ongoing police operation in favelas in Rio de Janeiro, reportedly already resulting in deaths of over 60 people, including four police officers," the United Nations rights office said on X.
"This deadly operation furthers the trend of extreme lethal consequences of police operations in Brazil's marginalised communities.
"We remind authorities of their obligations under international human rights law, and urge prompt and effective investigations."
Major police operations are frequent in Rio, Brazil's main tourist destination, particularly in the favelas, poor and densely populated neighbourhoods often ruled by criminal gangs.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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