The UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said on Sunday it plans to withdraw its troops from the Malakal Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Upper Nile State as the facility is transitioned to government control.
The camp was established during the height of South Sudan’s civil war as an emergency measure to shelter civilians fleeing violence and continues to house a large number of people more than seven years after the conflict officially ended.
UNMISS established PoC sites across South Sudan during the civil war, sheltering tens of thousands of civilians. Many of the sites have since been closed or transitioned to civilian administration as part of efforts to gradually transfer responsibility to national and local authorities.
UNMISS spokesperson Priyanka Chowdhury told Radio Tamazuj that the mission is working closely with Upper Nile state and national authorities, as well as humanitarian partners, to facilitate the transition of the Malakal PoC site into a settlement area.
She said the government will assume full responsibility for the site under its sovereign obligation to protect civilians.
“This process is progressing in a coordinated and orderly manner, with the safety and protection of residents remaining a central priority,” Chowdhury said.
Separately, authorities in Upper Nile State announced they would take over ownership and management of the Malakal PoC site from UNMISS, according to an official letter seen by Radio Tamazuj.
In the letter dated February 4, 2026, Upper Nile State Governor Jacob Dollar Ruot informed the head of the UNMISS field office in Malakal that the state government had agreed to assume responsibility for the facility.
Issued by the Secretariat General of the Governor’s Office, the letter expressed appreciation for UNMISS’s role in protecting civilians in Upper Nile State and across South Sudan during years of conflict and displacement.
“We are glad to assume ownership and accept the handover of Malakal Protection of Civilian Site (PoCs),” the letter said, adding that the government intends to use the facility for civilian and protection purposes.
According to the letter, the site will be handed over with all existing infrastructure and materials. Some facilities will be allocated for community use, including as centres for police and other Upper Nile State government institutions.
The state government said it would operate the site following the handover and pledged to deploy police forces to provide security.
The handover ceremony is planned for February 13, 2026, with Upper Nile State Deputy Governor Deng Akuei Kak representing the state government, the letter said.
The handover of the Malakal camp to the government comes amid heightened tensions and clashes in parts of the Upper Nile region.