Syrian Man Stranded In Malaysian Airport For 37 Days

A Syrian man, who fears retaliation when he returns home, has spent over a month confined to an airport terminal in Malaysia, according to BBC.

Hassan al-Kontar has been sleeping under stairwells and showering in toilets in the transit section at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 since March 7 after being sent back to the country during a failed attempt to enter Cambodia.

"I don’t know what to say or what to do. I need a solution, I need a safe place where I can be legally with work," he told BBC News via Whatsapp messengering service. "Syria is out of the question, even if I am staying here forever. I don’t want to be part of the fight, I don’t want to kill anyone. I don’t want to be killed as well. It’s not my war."

Al-Kontar's problems began when he lost his work permit and job with the United Arab Emirates, his home for the past 11 years, as a civil war continues in his country. He said he initially departed Syria in 2006 looking to get out of serving in the military, adding that he still has a pending arrest warrant there for dodging the call-up.

"I'm not a killing machine and I don't want any part in destroying Syria, Al-Kontar said. "I don't want blood on my hands. War is never the solution but unfortunately, even from where I am now, I am paying the price of its actions."

The 36-year-old said he hoped to find a solution soon adding that he hasn’t had a hot shower and had run out of clean clothes and money.

"I'm desperate for help. I can't live in this airport any longer, the uncertainty is driving me crazy. It feels like my life hit a new low," he said. "I flew to the UAE to find work but because of the conflict, I lost both my work permit and my job there and have been on the run since."

After attaining a three-month tourist visa, Al-Kontar sought a better solution, however, he was once again rejected. He picked up a fine for "overstaying" in the country and has been "blacklisted" in Malaysia. Now, it is unclear when he’ll be able to exit the airport and return to his country.

Al-Konter is not the first Syrian refugee to be in limbo at an airport. Since the civil war began, there have been similar stories of Syrians and Palestinian people from Syria being stranded in Bangkok, Istanbul and Kuala Lumpur.