Algeria civil defence recovers body of 10-year-old boy from well

What the report says

Algeria’s civil protection agency said it recovered the body of a 10-year-old boy after a four-day rescue operation in the western province of el-Bayadh, bringing to a close an effort that had drawn wide public concern. The boy, identified as Ayoub, had fallen into a dry well in the village of Errokn, in the municipality of Ghassoul, while walking home on Wednesday.

According to Al Jazeera, Ayoub stepped on a wooden covering over the well, which collapsed and sent him into a narrow shaft about 80 metres deep. Rescue teams were unable to descend directly, so they dug a parallel tunnel and horizontal passage to reach him, using heavy machinery and technical specialists. Officials said difficult ground conditions, including loose soil and hard rock, slowed the work.

The provincial authorities in el-Bayadh formed a crisis unit that included civil protection, security and military personnel, and local agencies mobilized resources for the effort. Crowds of residents gathered near the site over the following days to support the family and follow the operation. The case has also renewed discussion in Algeria about the safety of unsecured wells in rural areas and the need for better oversight of such hazards, especially in remote communities.