Rio de Janeiro  - At least nine people were killed when a gunbattle erupted during a police drug raid on a Rio de Janeiro slum.

The clashes, in which at least seven men were also injured, occurred Tuesday in the Vila Cruzeiro slum in northern Rio, media reports said, citing government authorities.

A police spokesman said all those killed were criminals.

The raid, in which 15 people were arrested and 200 heavily armed officers took part, continued into the night, more than 12 hours after it had begun.

It followed the deaths this month of 11 suspected criminals in a police raid on drug-trafficking gangs in two Rio slums.

Police deployments in the metropolis' slums have been criticized by human rights organizations and residents, who said innocent people and children nearly always become targets. (dpa)