A/HRC/40/CRP.1 and property that they looted in the course of the attacks, and any women or girls they abducted as wives, and promotions in their ranks.1134 By one estimate, the Gany County Commissioner recruited approximately 8,000 youth in this manner.1135 In mid-April, a meeting was held in Leer involving, among others, the Governor of Southern Liech State and a Brigadier General who was the SPLA Commander based in Leer, to plan an operation to drive out the SPLA-IO (RM) from southern Unity and to secure the Bentiu to Adok road.1136 This plan also involved clearing the area of civilians on the premise that if civilians were driven out of the area, the SPLA-IO (RM) would not return.1137 As there were only about 500 SPLA troops based in Leer at the time, reinforcements were requested from the Gany County Commissioner.1138 Weapons and ammunition to support the operation were delivered to Bentiu and Leer from Juba by military helicopter and commercial aircraft regularly during April, including specifically on 22 April.1139 These weapons and ammunition were provided not only to the SPLA, but also to the SPLA-IO (TD) and the youth militias under the Gany County Commissioner.1140 As the operation got underway, Government troops used amphibious tanks and Armoured Personnel Carriers.1141 Within days of the mid-April meeting, SPLA troops from the Rubkona 4 Division and SPLA-IO (TD) troops from Kuergini started to move southward from the Bentiu area down to Koch.1142 In Koch, they were joined by the youth militia of the Gany County Commissioner and proceeded southward into Southern Liech State at Mirmir. Witnesses explained that while the SPLA normally moved along the main road, during the operation, they instead fanned out, moving through the bush surprising people.1143 They formed three or four fronts, to the east and west of the main road, attacking villages as they moved southward toward Leer.1144 These groups were led on the ground by the Gany County Commissioner, the SPLA-IO (TD) Commander of Unity from Kuergini, an SPLA Commander who was a Brigadier General, and the Brigadier General SPLA Commander based in Leer.1145 Having reached Leer, some troops continued southwards toward Pilling, Thonyor (the SPLA-IO (RM) headquarters in the area) and on to Adok Port. Meanwhile others fanned out in all directions from Leer launching attacks on villages within approximately a 25 km radius from Leer.1146 The UNMISS Human Rights Division documented attacks on more than 40 villages in the Leer and Mayendit Counties area falling between Koch, Mayendit and Adok towns1147 which was subsequently confirmed by the investigations of the Commission. Over the next two months, Government soldiers and affiliated militia conducted offensives throughout the area targeting some villages repeatedly. For example, Gandor came 1134 Witness 838, ERN 101632-101637, para. 11; Witness 837, ERN 101638-101642, para. 8; Witness 877, ERN 101598-101602, para. 8; Witness 856, ERN 101614-101618, para. 6. 1135 Witness 856, ERN 101614-101618, para. 6. 1136 Witness 823, ERN 101653-101658, paras. 14, 15. 1137 Witness 823, ERN 101653-101658, para. 15; Witness 877, ERN 101598-101602, para. 7. 1138 Witness 823, ERN 101653-101658, paras. 12, 15; 1139 Witness 826, ERN 101856-101863, paras. 15, 16; Witness 838, ERN 101632-101637, para. 12; Witness 856, ERN 101614101618, para. 8; Witness 823, ERN 101653-101658, para. 20; Witness 837, ERN 101638-101642, para. 9; Witness 872, ERN 101603-101608, para. 14; Witness 877, ERN 101598-101602, para. 12; Witness 863, ERN 101609-101613, para. 12; Witness 873, ERN 101648-101652, para. 11; Confidential Meeting on 21 September 2018. 1140 Witness 825, ERN 101848-101855, para. 16; Witness 838, ERN 101632-101637, para. 12; Witness 837, ERN 101638-101642, para. 9. 1141 Witness 839, ERN 101626-101631, para. 9. 1142 Witness 873, ERN 101648-101652, para. 7; 1143 Witness 839, ERN 101626-101631, para. 5; Witness 877, ERN 101598-101602, para. 9. 1144 Witness 873, ERN 101648-101652; Witness 825, ERN 101848-101855; Witness 826, ERN 101856-101863. 1145 Witness 789, ERN 101508-101511; Witness 826, ERN 101856-101863; Witness 825, ERN 101848-101855; Witness 839, ERN 101626-101631: Witness 838, ERN 101632-101637; Witness 873, ERN 101648-101652; Witness 856, ERN 101614-101618; Witness 827, ERN 101811-101816; Witness 872, ERN 101603-101608; Witness 831, ERN 101817-101827. 1146 Witness 838, ERN 101632-101637; Witness 837, ERN 101638-101642; Witness 872, ERN 101603-101608; Witness 826, ERN 101856-101863; Confidential Document, ERN D113083- D113181; Confidential Document, ERN D113182- D113376. 1147 UNMISS/OHCHR, Indiscriminate Attacks Against Civilians in Southern Unity April-May 2018, para. 26. 144