11 suspects and two soldiers dead after thousands of Brazilian troops storm Rio favelas

Rio de Janeiro’s drug war hit a bloody crescendo Monday when at least 11 suspected criminals and two soldiers were reported killed in a huge military sweep through impoverished favelas and during a rush-hour police car chase.

The military command heading security in Brazil’s second biggest city said the two troops killed were the first lost since conservative President Michel Temer sent them into protect Rio.

The military command said 4,200 soldiers, backed by armoured vehicles and aircraft, entered the Penha neighbourhood and the Alemao and Mare favela complexes – poor, densely populated swathes of city in large part run by heavily armed drug traffickers.

Only 70 police officers were said to be involved, suggesting a turnaround from previous operations into the dangerous favelas where police have taken the lead and soldiers provided backup.

According to the Rio police force, 430kg of drugs were seized in the Mare, a far bigger amount than usual in such operations, which often end with few concrete results.

Troops removed roadblocks erected by drug gangs, followed up on tipoffs against suspected traffickers, and checked vehicles and residents, the military said in a statement.

In addition, “troops distributed leaflets asking for cooperation from the population,” it said.