A Swiss national and an Austrian citizen have regained their freedom following more than a year in captivity in the Sahel region. Eva Gretzmacher, 76, and Claudia Abbt, 69, were kidnapped separately in the northern Nigerien city of Agadez beginning in January and continuing into April. The circumstances surrounding their abduction and the identities of those responsible remain undisclosed, though previous reporting has suggested possible links to Islamic State-affiliated groups.
The women were handed over to officials in the Libyan city of Benghazi, where they appeared in good condition according to footage from al-Masar TV. Both individuals expressed gratitude toward Khalifa Haftar, the military commander of eastern Libya, and his son Saddam Haftar, for facilitating their release. Gretzmacher had worked as an aid professional with extensive experience in Niger, while Abbt had spent several years engaged in community work in the Agadez region.
Arrangements were made for the women’s return to Europe through air transport departing Benghazi, with plans to transfer Gretzmacher to Austrian authorities in Vienna before continuing to Switzerland with Abbt. The release comes amid ongoing instability across the Sahel, where militant groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State have conducted numerous kidnappings and attacks. Niger itself has experienced military governance since 2023, following a coup that removed the country’s elected leader. Libya continues to face political fragmentation, divided between eastern and western administrations led by competing leadership structures.
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