A/80/490 has been confirmed by satellite imagery analysis that strongly suggests the Arakan Army’s responsibility. According to Rohingya eyewitnesses, Arakan Army soldiers fired on residents as they fled and set alight homes while inhabitants were still inside. Rohingya civilians told the Special Rapporteur that they saw scores or hundreds of dead bodies as they fled Buthidaung in May 2024. 63. In June 2024, the Arakan Army ordered civilians to evacuate Maungdaw town in advance of its attack on junta forces in the city. Rohingya eyewitnesses told the Special Rapporteur that they were targeted in drone strikes and ground attacks as the Arakan Army battled the military and Rohingya armed groups in the area in the weeks that followed. 64. In August 2024, over 100 Rohingya civilians were killed during a drone attack on a beach on the Naf River, where they had fled to avoid attacks by the Arakan Army. Rohingya eyewitnesses said that the attack involved drones that appeared to come from the direction of Arakan Army positions near Maungdaw. The Special Rapporteur spoke to several Rohingya who lost friends or family members in the attack. 65. The number of drone strikes and other attacks on civilians has declined significantly since the Arakan Army drove junta forces from Buthidaung and Maungdaw in 2024 and established control of all of northern Rakhine State. Fewer massacres and arson attacks have been reported in 2025 than in the previous year. However, alongside its efforts to combat the Rohingya insurgency, the Arakan Army has reportedly abducted large numbers of Rohingya civilians, predominantly young men. Some have reportedly been forced to carry out military duties or provide labor to the Arakan Army, have been used as human shields in military operations, or have simply disappeared. 66. In August 2025, the Special Rapporteur spoke with new arrivals to the refugee camps in Bangladesh. Many told the Special Rapporteur about family and community members who had been taken by the Arakan Army and whose whereabouts and condition remain unknown. Rohingya men who have escaped Arakan Army custody have described severe deprivation and brutal torture. Some detainees have reportedly been executed and beheaded. 67. There are reports that Arakan Army officers threatened or coerced Rohingya civilians to leave Rakhine State for Bangladesh, with many forced to pay fees to the Arakan Army to facilitate their travel to Bangladesh. Some Rohingya who returned from Bangladesh have reportedly been arrested and detained. 68. Rohingya who remain in Rakhine State reportedly suffer severe movement and livelihood restrictions imposed by the Arakan Army, including confinement in displacement camps. Those seeking to travel must reportedly pay a fee and obtain permission from Arakan Army officials. Many have allegedly been prevented from fishing or farming, contributing to severe food shortages. Restrictions appear to be most severe in areas of northern Rakhine State where Rohingya militants have operated. At the same time, Rohingya civilians who live in parts of central Rakhine State that are under the control of the Arakan Army report fewer restrictions. 69. Given the grave threats in Rakhine State, approximately 150,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh in 2024 and 2025. 70. The Special Rapporteur has spoken multiple times with the leadership of the Arakan Army, including Senior General Twan Mrat Naing. The Senior General vehemently denied the Arakan Army’s responsibility for abuses alleged by Rohingya advocates and human rights organizations and raised concerns that the Arakan Army is being “smeared” using unverified and fabricated information. He has invited the Special Rapporteur to investigate accusations of human rights abuses, including by visiting the site of the alleged massacre in Htan Shauk Khan village. 71. The Special Rapporteur has not been able to independently verify the facts relating to specific events in Rakhine State. He has spoken to dozens of Rohingya people, however, whose accounts are consistent with the accusations made by UN investigators, human rights organizations and Rohingya advocates. Given the security situation in Rakhine State and telecommunications restrictions, collecting evidence concerning the situation in Rakhine State is extremely difficult. Even organizations with networks in Rakhine State admit having scant information about the situation on the ground. An independent, credible investigation of abuses committed by all parties to the conflict in Rakhine State is essential. 10