A/HRC/39/CRP.2 1151. On 10 August 2017, more than 1,600 members of the Tatmadaw’s 33 rd and 99th Light Infantry Divisions (LIDs) based outside Rakhine State, were airlifted to Rakhine State from their deployment in northern Myanmar. This re-deployment was reported in the national media; reference was made to the troops “going to northern Rakhine to carry out area clearance”.2596 1152. Other military units were shifted from other military bases and attached to Military Operational Command (MOC)-15, whose area of responsibility covers Buthidaung Township. As many as nine battalions from other Western Regional Command units were attached to MOC-15, as well as one Armoured Brigade consisting of up to 60 tanks and armoured personnel carriers.2597 Eight MI-17 helicopters were also relocated to Rakhine State.2598 The deployment of tanks, heavy artillery and this number of helicopters was considered unusual.2599 1153. Furthermore, in the weeks just prior to 25 August 2017, Tatmadaw soldiers moved closer to the border areas, and the movement of helicopters into and out of BGP camps in Rakhine State increased. Areas that were normally guarded by BGP units now also had a significant presence of Tatmadaw soldiers. 2600 The arrival of new troops at the beginning of August was noticeable to villagers.2601 Some new troops travelled in convoys of military vehicles.2602 Some were garrisoned inside military and other security force compounds. 2603 One villager commented, “It was clear to us that there were new soldiers, as they had different uniforms to the soldiers who were permanently stationed inside the compounds, who we knew and recognised”.2604 In relation to the reputation of the LIDs, one interviewee stated the following: New soldiers had come from Yangon and they were very tough. My Rakhine neighbour said to me, “Now you Rohingya are doomed because the government is sending military from Yangon who are coming here to kill every Muslim. Someday in Rakhine State there will be no Rohingya Muslims at all.” 2605 1154. Deliveries of military equipment were made to the Tatmadaw and other security forces in advance of 25 August 2017.2606 A villager with a shop next to a military camp explained: Approximately four days before the [clearance operation] in my village there were many vehicles arriving to the base. Five trucks were full of troops, and the other two trucks were full of equipment. The trucks with equipment were full of white sacks. When the new arrivals got out of vehicles, they were handing out the things inside the sack. I saw that they were distributing “launchers”.2607 1155. In Maung Gyi Taung village tract, Buthidaung Township, what appears to be artillery was installed in the hills overlooking the village approximately one week prior to 25 August 2017. It was used in the “clearance operation” a week later. 2608 A witness reported that when this weapon was fired, it made a loud sound and the subsequent explosion “destroyed” a paddy field.2609 2596 2597 2598 2599 2600 2601 2602 2603 2604 2605 2606 2607 2608 2609 V-212, V-213. K-002. K-002. XM-005. QM-001, XM-005. LI-062, LI-081, LI-100, QI-069, QI-110, QI-111, QI-112. LI-069, LI-081, LI-112. LI-081, QI-110, QI-116. LI-081. LI-092. LI-063, LI-081. LI-081. LI-114, LI-117. LI-117. 271