Withdraw call for help about secular parties (7)
I believe the answer is:
socials
'parties' is the definition.
(social is a kind of party)
'withdraw call for help about secular' is the wordplay.
'withdraw' is a reversal indicator.
'call for help' becomes 'sos' (I've seen this before).
'about' indicates putting letters inside.
'secular' becomes 'laic' ('laic' can be a synonym of 'secular').
'sos' going around 'laic' is 'slaicos'.
'slaicos' reversed gives 'SOCIALS'.
(Another definition for socials that I've seen is " Parties".)
I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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