(Daily360.com) A 45-year old man was found in captivity in Djelfa, Algeria after missing for 27 years. Omar Bin Omran disappeared at the age of 17 in 1998 when he was on his way to school. He was never found and was believed to have died in the civil war between the government and Islamist rebel gangs. He was found in a neighbor’s house, only 200 meters away from his family’s home.
Bin Omran was found in a hole in the ground in a sheep pen within the house of the kidnapper. He was surrounded by bales of hay and seemed surprised when search parties arrived on scene and found him in the hole. The search began following a report from Bin Omran’s family that they believed he was being held in the neighbor’s house.
The family came to this conclusion based on information posted on social media by the kidnapper’s brother. The two are in an inheritance dispute, and the brother believed the suspect was involved in a kidnapping. The family contacted authorities and the search for Bin Omran began.
The search party found hay covering a trap door that led to the hole where Bin Omran had been held captive for nearly three decades. The suspect allegedly killed Bin Omran’s dog shortly after his disappearance. The dog apparently could smell Bin Omran and was hanging out near the captor’s house for a month after the kidnapping. The dog’s body was found in front of Bin Omran’s family’s house and died of suspected poisoning.
The alleged kidnapper is 61-years old and attempted to run away from the scene, but is now in custody. Bin Omran said he sometimes was able to see his family from the hole he was being held captive in. He said the kidnapper put a spell on him that prevented him from being able to yell for help. Bin Omran is now receiving psychological and medical care while the investigation continues.
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