Algerian Man
After an astonishing 26-year absence, Omar Bin Omran, who vanished as a teenager, has been found alive in the basement of his suspected captor’s home in Algeria.
In 1998, Omar left his family home in Djelfa city to attend a vocational school but never returned, leading his family to believe he had perished during the civil war. Now 45, he was rescued from his neighbor’s house, located just 300 meters from his own.
The 61-year-old neighbor was arrested in connection with the alleged abduction. The Djelfa Attorney General’s Office confirmed Omar’s rescue, stating he was found in the case involving his neighbor.
Footage of the rescue depicted Omar, bearded and clad in a sweater, being freed from the basement beneath the neighbor’s hay-covered floor.
Reports reveal Omar’s family alerted authorities after the suspect’s brother hinted at involvement in an abduction on social media. This prompted a search of the neighbor’s premises, leading to the discovery of a hidden trapdoor beneath the hay.
Following his rescue, Omar received immediate medical care. The suspect remains in custody for the “heinous crime.”
In a tragic twist, the suspect is accused of killing Omar’s dog, found near the family home a month after Omar’s disappearance.
Heartbreakingly, Omar’s mother, who tirelessly searched for him, passed away in 2013, unaware of his fate.
A neighbor lamented her sorrow, stating, “His poor mum died while he was in captivity, without knowing what had happened to him, without knowing that all this time he was really right beside her.”
This extraordinary story of survival and tragedy has captivated Algeria, offering both hope and heartache to Omar’s family and community.
