6 months ago
21
In a startling discovery,
Omar Bin Omran
, who disappeared at the age of 17 nearly three decades ago, was found alive in a hidden cellar of his neighbor's house in Djelfa,
Algeria
. Omar was believed to have been kidnapped and was found on May 12, cowering in a hole beneath a sheep pen, covered by hay bales.
Omar vanished from his hometown of Djelfa in 1996, during the tumultuous period of the Algerian civil war.
His family had long feared he had been killed in the conflict. The discovery came after an inheritance dispute led to a social media post by the captor's brother, which eventually prompted family members to search the neighbor's house, a Daily Mail report said.
Upon finding Omar, the alleged captor, a 61-year-old man now in police custody, attempted to flee but was restrained and arrested. The rescue was captured in a video that shows Omar looking bewildered as the light from torches shone on him in the dark pit.
The case has shocked the local community and the broader public, raising numerous questions about the circumstances of Omar’s long
captivity
and why he never called for help. Reports suggest that Omar's psychological state, potentially exacerbated by a spell cast by his captor, might have prevented him from seeking help.
Public prosecutors in Djelfa have stated that Omar, now 45, will receive
psychological care
to aid his recovery from the ordeal. They have vowed to prosecute the perpetrator with severity. According to officials, this case could rank among the world’s longest-held captives.
The discovery has brought both relief and sorrow to Omar's family, particularly as his mother died in 2013 without knowing her son was alive and being held just a short distance from her home. A relative expressed their gratitude on social media, noting Omar's good health despite the years of disappearance and promising more details as the investigation progresses.
