Stranded in an airport for months, and documenting it on Twitter

World Today

Hassan al Kontar is a 36-year-old Syrian man who has been stranded at the Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia since March 7, 2018.

Why? Because while living and working in the United Arab Emirates, he refused to return back to Syria to fight in their nearly eight year war. The Syrian embassy in the UAE denied renewing his visa, and he went into hiding for six years in the UAE. He was eventually living sent to Malaysia—which accepts Syrians to stay in their country for 90 days without a visa. Flights elsewhere were not successful, leaving him stranded in the Kuala Lumpur airport–relying on airplane food and instant coffee.

Al Kontar has taken to Twitter to share daily video updates, along with spreading his message on behalf of the refugees and victims of the war in Syria.

“This is not our war,” al Kontar has tweeted.

“I am really tired,” he told NBC News, “I keep shouting that I am not a bad guy, I am not a coward — I can fight, but it’s not my fight. It’s someone else’s fight in my land.”

He has also managed to mix humor with his message.