Young boy rescued by Bedouin after 20-hour desert search

MUTHANNA — A young boy who went missing in the desert west of the Busiya subdistrict was found safe Saturday morning by a Bedouin man, ending a tense 20-hour search involving tribal members, civil defense teams, and dozens of volunteers.

The boy, identified as Ali Rajeh Al-Fartousi, disappeared late Friday in the remote desert area. Fearing the threat of wild animals, his family launched a wide search through the night, joined by civil defense units and local tribesmen using dozens of vehicles and on-foot patrols.

“A child went missing yesterday in the Busiya desert and was wandering alone,” a security source told 964media. “His father reported it to security forces. The boy was found west of Busiya by one of the Bedouins, who took him into his home before any harm could come to him.”

After a brief stay with the Bedouin rescuer, the boy was reunited with his father, who embraced him in front of family members and volunteers. Locals described the moment as a testament to the solidarity among tribes in Muthanna that rallied quickly to search for the missing child.

Bedouins are traditionally nomadic Arab tribes living across desert regions in the Middle East and North Africa. They are known for their strong connection to the land, herding livestock, and preserving a lifestyle rooted in mobility, oral tradition, and tribal customs.