During a violent faceoff, 11 suspects and two soldiers died in greater Rio de Janerio on Monday as violence erupted in several areas of the city. In direct confrontations between soldier and armed traffickers also marked a deepening of the military role in the city. Earlier this year, the military took charge of the city aiding the local police in setting up checkpoints and security parameters.
Carlos Cinelli, a military spokesman said, “Our goal is only to make arrests. If there are deaths, the criminals are to blame.” He also added that while adding that military personnel came under fire during operations that began at 4:30 a.m. “The soldiers have a right to defend themselves.”
As per report in Indianexpress, Cinelli told reporters that five suspects were killed and another 10 were arrested when soldiers stormed the neighbourhoods of Mare, Complexo do Alemao and Penha. In a press statement in the evening, the military command said two soldiers had died.
Cinelli said that the operations included more than 4,000 military personnel and it was aimed at finding most wanted traffickers in the areas. The operation netted four pistols, two grenades and 440 pounds (200 kilograms) of marijuana paste, he said. Brazilian news site G1 reported that the residents in the respective areas stayed at home, skipping work and school. An Associated Press video journalist saw a public bus that had been torched close to Complexo do Alemao, possibly a response to the anti-drug operation.
In a statement on Monday, the police said that they killed six suspects during confrontations in Niteroi, across the bay from Rio de Janeiro. Police also added that the shootouts happened while pursuing suspects on one of the access points to the bridge that joins the two cities. The bridge located in one of the area’s most traversed roads, was temporarily shut. Three suspects and one police officer were injured.
Earlier in February, President Michel Tener has put the military in charge of security in the state of Rio.
The decision comes after muggings and beatings were captured on camera during Rio’s world-famous Carnival celebrations.
“You will often hear favela residents say: We ask for education, they send police. We ask for health services, they send police,” Olliveira said. “They don’t need more police. They need government services.”
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