He Kept the Islamic State Out of His Town. Syria's New Government Has Held Him Eighteen Months Without a Charge.
Suleiman Khalil twice kept his Syriac Orthodox town out of jihadist hands. Since February 8, 2025 the new Syrian government has held him with no charge, no lawyer and no evidence anyone outside the prison has seen.
They came for Suleiman Khalil at his home in Sadad on February 8, 2025. He was the mayor who had twice kept the town alive.
He has not been charged. He has not been given a lawyer. He has not been shown evidence. His family has not been allowed regular visits. Eighteen months have gone by that way.
Sadad sits in the Homs countryside, Syriac Orthodox, one of the oldest Christian towns in Syria. Al Qaida fighters came for it in 2013. Islamic State fighters came for it in 2015. Khalil organized the defense both times, and both times Sadad held. Al Qaryatayn, a Christian town up the road, did not hold. Its people were killed and carried off.
The government that is holding him has formally joined the American led coalition to defeat the Islamic State. In June, seven organizations and a former United States ambassador for international religious freedom wrote to Washington's envoy for Syria asking him to intervene. The envoy's office confirmed the letter arrived.
Then nothing.
