Syrian refugee who lived in airport gains Canadian citizenship. Wednesday marks a long-awaited milestone for Syrian refugee Hassan Al Kontar. After years of uncertainty – including seven months spent stranded in a Malaysia airport – Al Kontar has finally become a Canadian citizen. “Today is kind of a declaration of winning after all these years,” Kontar told Al Jazeera during a phone call just before the citizenship ceremony. “Today I am stateless no more.” Now 41 years old, Al Kontar first gained the world’s attention in 2018 when he started to chronicle his ordeal in the airport on social media. Having fled the war in Syria, Al Kontar found himself stuck in the Kuala Lumpur International Airport without legal immigration papers, unable to leave or travel to another country. His posts attracted sympathy from around the world and drew attention to the labyrinthine process many asylum seekers navigate as they try to escape violence and persecution. As he prepared to take Canada’s oath of citizenship on Wednesday, Al Kontar said: “For this, I lost a destroyed country. I was not able to be there for my father when he needed me the most or to be by his side when he passed away. I watched my brother’s wedding over Skype when I was stuck at the airport. I was jailed and faced a racist system,”. More than 350,000 people have been killed in the war and more than 13 million Syrians have been displaced, according to the United Nations. Part Of them, more than 6.6 million are outside of the country, with many stuck in refugee camps and trapped in legal limbo. Al Kontar told Al Jazeera that, instead of receiving support and assistance, Syrian refugees have often found themselves shut out as countries heighten immigration restrictions and seek to keep asylum seekers at arm’s length. Many have risked their lives in desperate efforts to reach Europe, embarking on deadly journeys and frequently paying with their lives. Those who arrive safely face an uncertain future. Countries like Denmark have tried to send asylum seekers back to war-torn Syria. What do you think about alkontar story?