An Algerian man who went missing at the age of 19 was found alive recently, astonishing his family and community.

Omar bin Omran, who disappeared in 1998, is now 45 years old. He was discovered in a neighbor’s cellar, just 650 feet away from his family’s home, according to Al Jazeera.

The discovery ended a 26-year-long mystery that began during the tumultuous period of the Algerian civil war. Given the extended duration of his disappearance, some relatives had presumed him dead. However, his mother, who passed away in 2013, reportedly never lost hope that her son would be found alive.

The suspected captor, a 61-year-old man, was arrested at the scene after attempting to flee, BBC reported. Algeria’s Ministry of Justice condemned the act as “heinous” and confirmed that an investigation is ongoing to uncover the full extent of the circumstances surrounding bin Omran’s captivity.

Currently, Omar bin Omran is receiving comprehensive medical treatment for both physical and psychological traumas, as reported by the BBC. Remarkably, bin Omran revealed that over the past 26 years, he occasionally saw some of his family members but was unable to reach out for help. He claimed that his captor had cast a “spell” on him, rendering him incapable of seeking assistance.

Teen who went missing in 1998 found alive in neighbor’s cellar

The bizarre and tragic kidnapping was brought to light recently due to an alleged inheritance dispute between the suspect and his brother. The suspect’s brother posted incriminating information on social media, which prompted the National Gendarmerie — responsible for police services in Algeria’s rural areas — to investigate further. This led to a search of the suspect’s house, resulting in the discovery of bin Omran.

The girl who looked like a doll is now 9 years old – This is her today

When baby Aira was born, her parents knew she was somewhat special. With her blonde hair and big blue eyes, Aira looked stunningly beautiful and many agreed that she resembled a doll.

Although she was still just a baby, her parents decided she should be part of commercials, so they took her to a number of modelling agencies, many of which were interested to work with her.

Almost overnight, photos of Aira flooded social media and people were convinced she wasn’t real but a photoshopped photo of a cute-looking toddler. But Aira was real, and she was dubbed one of the most beautiful girls in the world.

The girl who looked like a doll is now 9 years old – This is her today

When baby Aira was born, her parents knew she was somewhat special. With her blonde hair and big blue eyes, Aira looked stunningly beautiful and many agreed that she resembled a doll.

Although she was still just a baby, her parents decided she should be part of commercials, so they took her to a number of modelling agencies, many of which were interested to work with her.

Sadly, her engagements with modelling robbed her of her childhood and everything kids her age did. She didn’t attend kindergarten and was in front of a camera most of the time.

However, as she reached five years of age, modelling agencies were no longer interested in her as she started resembling any child out there. She wasn’t invited to photoshoots and fashion shows.