Feb 22 • 13:55 UTC 🇶🇦 Qatar Al Jazeera

The mystery of the disappearance of 'Azelal's girl' puzzles Moroccans and ignites social media

The mysterious disappearance of 13-year-old Hiba Tigrudn from Azelal, Morocco, has sparked widespread concern and discussions on social media.

The case of Hiba Tigrudn, a 13-year-old girl who disappeared from Ouaouizgt, Azelal, Morocco, has captivated the nation's attention and raised significant alarm among the public. Hiba left her sister's home on a Saturday, intending to walk a mere kilometer to her school, but she never arrived and has not been seen since. The alarming circumstances surrounding her disappearance, which became apparent after her family reported it to the police, led to immediate search efforts.

Authorities quickly mobilized resources including the Royal Gendarmerie, civil protection units, and trained dogs, alongside volunteers from the local community, to search forests, valleys, and wells in the vicinity. This extensive search operation, now ongoing for nine days, has not yielded Hiba so far, leading to increasing anxiety among her family and the local populace. Moreover, social media platforms have been flooded with questions, theories, and calls for community action to help find her.

Adding to the complexity of the search is the discovery of Hiba's belongings scattered across various locations. Items such as her backpack and shoes were found near a creek while her umbrella and shirt were located at a nearby water outlet. These findings have raised more questions about the circumstances of her disappearance, intensifying both public interest and media coverage of this tragic case, highlighting the urgent need for answers and the community's support to locate Hiba.

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