Islamists in Syria kill Christian pastor and 20 members of his family

Pastor Mejer and his family. Photo: syriacpress.com

On July 19, 2025, Khalid Mejer, pastor of the “Good Shepherd Evangelical Church” in Suwayda, was tortured to death along with his entire family – his siblings, their children, and his parents.

As a result of this horrific massacre, around twenty people from the same family lost their lives.

Pastor Mejer, originally from the Druze community of Suwayda Province, embraced Christianity with his family many years ago. He continued to serve his Church and the people of the city with dedication until the moment of his martyrdom.

The Archeparchy of Bosra, Hauran, Jabal al-Druze, and the Golan of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, headquartered in the town of Khabbab, Syria, issued a statement yesterday condemning the ongoing war in Suwayda, emphasizing that it “claims the lives of both young and old.”

The eparchy made a humanitarian appeal to people of conscience and reason – to put an end to the bloodshed and bring the tragedy to a close.

The statement noted that the city remains under intense artillery and rocket fire, despite a declared ceasefire.

It also stressed the complete absence of humanitarian aid: Suwayda has been under a suffocating siege for ten days now, with no signs of the situation improving.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that leaflets calling for the killing of Christians had appeared on church doors in Syria.

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