Man who disappeared 26 years ago found in neighbour`s cellar, just 100 metres from home

Authorities in Algeria report that a man who vanished in 1998 during the civil war in their country has been discovered alive 26 years later in his neighbour's cellar.

The man, also known as Omar bin Omran or Omar B, vanished when he was 19 years old, and it was long believed that he had been abducted or killed, according to a statement made by the nation's Ministry of Justice on Tuesday.

But earlier this week, he was discovered alive at the age of 45, having been kidnapped by a neighbour and held captive in a sheepfold surrounded by haystacks only 100 metres from his former residence in Djelfa, a region of northern Algeria.

According to the ministry, the victim is receiving medical and psychological attention, and an investigation into the "heinous" crime is still underway.

The doorman, 61, who was the alleged captor, was arrested by police when he tried to escape. Amidst an alleged inheritance dispute between the siblings, the suspect's brother shared revealing information on social media, leading to the discovery of the kidnapping.

Court officials said, "On 12 May at 8pm local time, [they] found victim Omar bin Omran, aged 45, in the cellar of his neighbour, BA, aged 61," as reported by Al-Jazeera. 

In 2013, the mother of the victim passed away, despite the family's continued belief that he was dead. According to Algerian media, bin Omran told his captors that he occasionally saw his family from a distance but that he was unable to call out because of a "spell" his captor had placed upon him.

A mystery that had persisted in his community since Bin Omran's discovery on Sunday resolves Algeria's brutal civil war. Families of war victims are still fighting for their loved ones who are missing or have died.