The Spiritual Leadership of the Druze Community abruptly deleted the statement on Saturday evening announcing the formation of local committees to administer the Sweida Governorate. It also deleted another statement appointing Marwan Rizk as its official spokesperson.
The retraction came less than 18 hours after the two statements were published, raising widespread questions about internal divisions and potential pressures that prompted the spiritual leadership to back down from a move seen as tantamount to establishing a parallel local administration.
The deleted statement included the establishment of "legal and humanitarian committees" to manage the governorate's affairs, in the absence of official institutions, following the violent clashes that took place in Sweida during July, which left hundreds dead and wounded.
The statement appointing Rizk as the presidency's spokesperson was also deleted hours after he was subjected to sharp criticism from activists and religious figures, who accused him of "monopolizing decision-making" and "violating spiritual norms."
The spiritual leadership has yet to issue any official clarification as of the time of writing, opening the door to interpretation amid calls for unity within the sect and avoiding a new administrative and security vacuum in the governorate.
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