Missing Algerian Man For 25 Years Found And Held Captive By Neighbor

After an absence of over 25 years, an Algerian man presumed dead has been discovered alive, having been held captive by a neighbor. Omar bin Omran was found concealed in a hole covered with hay, located approximately 200 yards from his family home in Djelfa. According to local media reports, the victim recounted moments of seeing his family during his captivity but claimed he was unable to call out for help due to a spell cast by his captor.

A video circulating on social media purportedly captures the moment of Mr. bin Omran’s discovery by security forces. In the footage, he is shown with a long beard, appearing visibly distressed as he is assisted out of a cellar hidden beneath bales of hay.

Mr. bin Omran disappeared at the age of 19 in 1998 while en route to a nearby training center, amidst Algeria’s decade-long civil war between the government and Islamist rebel factions. His family, fearing the worst, believed he might have been among the thousands killed or abducted during the conflict.

Despite the passage of time, Mr. bin Omran’s family never lost hope of finding him. Their persistence was further fueled by his mother’s dying wish in 2013 for authorities to locate her son. Now, at 45 years old, Mr. bin Omran was found just a few minutes’ walk from his family home.

The breakthrough in his case occurred after the alleged captor’s brother exposed him on social media during an inheritance dispute. The Djelfa attorney general’s office confirmed the discovery, stating that Omar bin Omran was found in the cellar of his 61-year-old neighbor, identified as BA, who worked as a doorman at the municipality in the nearby town of El Guedid.

Authorities apprehended the suspect as he attempted to flee, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing. The victim is currently receiving medical and psychological care following what officials described as a “heinous” crime.

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