(AFP) Syrian refugee Khaled Alnomman said he made a big effort to integrate since he fled to Austria 10 years ago, learning to speak German fluently, getting a job as a bricklayer and applying for citizenship.
The youngest of his four children was born in Austria and the others feel more Austrian than Syrian having grown up in the Alpine country.
But as they celebrated the fall of the Assad regime in January, their lives were turned upside down when they received a letter from the Austrian authorities saying they wanted to revoke their refugee status.
“It’s like a knife stab to the heart,” the 42-year-old told AFP, visibly holding back the emotion.
