Brazilian police have killed eight people during a police raid on a neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, targeting a leader of Red Command, a powerful criminal group. The raid resulted in a major armed confrontation, with six suspected criminals and a local resident reportedly being held hostage. Local witnesses reported retaliation by Red Command members who blocked roads and set a bus on fire. Five people were arrested for alleged acts of vandalism. The operation comes after an October police raid killed over 130 people in the Rio favela of Complexo da Penha, raising questions about state security forces' methods. Some politicians in Brazil's left wing have criticised the police's lack of preparedness and called for greater force to be used against criminals. The Brazilian government is reportedly trying to dissuade US President Donald Trump from labelling groups like Red Command as "foreign terrorist organisations", a designation formerly used to identify groups that threaten US national security.