Natalie Khalil, the daughter of a Syrian Christian leader “Suleiman Khalil” who has been in prison for over a year without any formal charges says her family’s painful ordeal (Experience) has strengthened, rather than weakened, her faith in God.
Suleiman Khalil, is the former mayor of Sadad, a historic Christian town in Syria. Khalil became famous in the city for helping protect the town when a particular Islamic State fighter attacked it in 2015. 10-years after the incident, Khalil was later taken from his home in February 2025 and has remained imprisoned under Syria’s transitional authorities.
Speaking in Washington, D.C., Natalie stated that her father’s continued survival and what she has experienced has become a source of encouragement for her and the family. She highlighted his father’s imprisonment as experience as something that has brought her closer to God, saying she believes God is protecting him despite the difficult circumstances.
Natalie said during the interview that she last saw her father in person in May 2025 during a brief prison visit. She recalled the painful conditions surrounding the visit, including restrictions placed on her and her mother. Since then, communication with him has remained extremely limited, but we believe in God.
My father is being held in an overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, he has limited access to food and basic necessities. We the family has also been unable to secure a normal legal process for him, and this is adding to the concerns about the situation.
Rather than remaining silent, Natalie has joined Christian advocacy organizations calling for international action to secure her father’s release. Christian Solidarity International and In Defense of Christians are among the groups working to draw attention to his case.
Why speaking, Natalie has also appealed directly to the U.S. President Donald Trump, asking his administration to examine her father’s case and determine whether there is a lawful way to help bring him home safely.
For Natalie, the campaign is about more than securing her father’s freedom. She sees it as a continuation of the courage he displayed while protecting his community.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, she continues to hold onto her Christian faith, believing that God has sustained her father through circumstances that could easily have led to despair.
Natalie testimony has also drawn renewed attention to the shrinking Christian presence in Syria and the challenges facing Christians across the Middle East.
