A Swiss and an Austrian aid worker, kidnapped separately in Niger last year, have been freed in Libya and are due to return home.
01Summary
- 01Eva Gretzmacher, 76, from Switzerland, and Claudia Abbt, 69, from Austria, were kidnapped in Agadez, Niger, in January and April 2024 respectively.
- 02The women were handed over to authorities in Benghazi, Libya, and thanked military commander Khalifa Haftar and his son for their release.
- 03No details have been given on who held them or the circumstances of their release; some reports linked the kidnapping to Islamic State militants.
- 04A plane was expected to leave Benghazi on Thursday, stopping first in Vienna before continuing to Switzerland.
- 05Niger and the Sahel region have faced years of jihadist violence, and Niger has been under military control since 2023.
02Why it matters
This story highlights the ongoing security risks for aid workers in the Sahel, where jihadist groups operate, and shows the complex role of Libyan factions in regional hostage negotiations.
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