Shafaq News- Suwayda

The spiritual leader of the Druze community, Hikmat Al-Hajri, decided on Tuesday to dissolve the "Higher Legal Committee" in Suwayda province and the formation of a new administrative council in Jabal Bashan, appointing Judge Shadi Murshid to oversee its establishment.

In a statement, the Druze spiritual leadership said the move is part of a new organizational phase following challenges in the province since the incidents of July 2025, emphasizing that the new council is intended to be "an administrative body based purely on professional standards, free from any form of political allocation.”

It added that the current administration is considered a crisis management body, focusing on addressing the consequences of the recent siege and aggression, providing basic needs to residents, and strengthening internal stability against threats to the social fabric.

The formation of the Higher Legal Committee in Suwayda had occurred during a critical and urgent period, the statement noted, adding that its dissolution is justified by the need for specialized personnel. "Honoring the victims requires building a strong administration that safeguards rights and protects the community," the statement stressed.

Earlier this month, on April 5, residents of the province held a protest at Al-Karama Square, calling for the resignation of the Higher Legal Committee over worsening economic and living conditions, according to a Shafaq News correspondent.

In response, Suwayda Governor Mustafa al-Bakour issued a decree on April 6 appointing Samer Shafiq Aziz as head of the Sweida City Council, without providing further details, particularly given that the city’s administration is overseen by the Druze spiritual leadership.

The Higher Legal Committee, established by the Druze spiritual leadership on August 6, 2025, following the withdrawal of government forces, was composed of six judges, including Murshid, and four lawyers. It managed civil and security affairs in Sweida, maintained public and private institutions, combated corruption, and assisted citizens. The committee coordinated with the National Guard forces under the spiritual leadership to manage administrative affairs and rejected any intervention from the Damascus government in October 2025, calling for unity and the protection of the province’s dignity and autonomous decision-making.