Army heads to Ricinha favela in Rio de Janeiro as schools, businesses and a major road remained closed while fighting between rival gangs and police continued

After almost a week of intense gun battles between rival drug gangs and the police, Brazil’s army has been deployed to encircle the sprawling Rocinha favela in Rio de Janeiro.

A spokesperson for military command said on Friday that airspace over the neighbourhood had been closed, and local media showed images of soldiers arriving in the community.