Two European women held captive for more than a year in Niger freed in Libya
Summary
Two European women, one Swiss and one Austrian, were freed after being held captive for over a year in Niger. They were handed over to authorities in Benghazi, Libya, and will be returned to their home countries after health checks and official procedures.Key Facts
- Eva Gretzmacher (Swiss, 76) and Claudia Abbt (Austrian, 69) were kidnapped in Niger in early 2023.
- They were held captive for more than a year; details about their captors are unclear but may involve Islamic State militants.
- The women were released in Benghazi, Libya, and expressed thanks to Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar and his son.
- After health checks in Libya, they will be flown to Austria and Switzerland.
- Gretzmacher was an aid worker with many years living in Niger; Abbt worked as a community worker in Niger’s city of Agadez.
- Libya remains divided between two rival administrations in the east and west after years of conflict following Muammar Gaddafi’s overthrow.
- Niger and the wider Sahel region face ongoing violence from jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State.
- Niger has been under military control since 2023 after a coup removed its elected president.
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