Omar Bin Omran went missing in 1997 after leaving for vocational school at the age of 17.

Omran’s absence during the Algerian Civil War led his family to fear his kidnapping or death. But for over three decades, the family had no idea what had happened to their kid.

Omran’s mother, who had hoped to see him again, tragically passed away in 2013.

Omran’s location would remain undiscovered for another decade, leading officials to discover his abduction.
Omran’s suspected captor’s brother, purportedly a public official, revealed his involvement in the kidnapping on social media following an inheritance dispute.

The claim led officials to investigate Omran’s disappearance further, prompting Algeria’s National Gendarmerie to search the residence of the individual referenced in the social media post.

The man resided within 300 feet from Omran’s family house, and officials located a trapdoor buried behind some hay.

In May of this year, images from X appeared on Algerian media networks, revealing Omran inside the trapdoor.

In the video, Omran, who was then sporting a beard, can be seen peering up into the torchlight from what looks to be a hole in the ground surrounded by hay. Later scenes showed flashing lights as officials continued their probe.

A recess beneath the floor of what appeared to be a sheep corral revealed Omran, 45.

A law enforcement source clarified: “Following this report, the General Prosecutor of the Court of Idrisiya in the province of Djelfa ordered the National Gendarmerie to open an in-depth investigation, and officers went to the house in question.”

“The Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered that the victim receive medical and psychological treatment, and the suspect will be presented to the Public Prosecutor’s Office immediately after the completion of the investigation,” according to the source.

Following his discovery, the 61-year-old man suspected of holding Omran prisoner attempted to leave but was apprehended and placed into custody.

In the meantime, a medical facility sent Omran for physical and psychological therapy.

According to an Elkhabar daily story, Omran was cited as stating that he used to be able to see his family members from a window in the cellar where he was being held, but he couldn’t shout out because it seemed ‘as if there was a strong force inside me, blocking me’.