As the convoy of army trucks turned into Vila Vintem, a loud volley of explosions echoed around its pastel-painted homes. We piled out on to the potholed streets of one of Rio de Janeiro’s most violent neighbourhoods. A spotter was sending a message to the notorious Amigos dos Amigos gang: the military had entered its territory. “They are telling the criminal organisations we are here.”Most of the soldiers wore balaclavas to conceal their identities. But you could still see a mix of fear and excitement in their eyes as…

Source: The Times November 23, 2018 17:03 UTC