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Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
World
Brian Osgood

Syrian refugee who lived in airport gains Canadian citizenship

Refugee Al Jazeera Syria Canada Malaysia
Hassan Al Kontar poses in front of a Canadian flag on January 11 [Courtesy of Hassan Al Kontar]

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.”

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