Two Europeans, aged 69 and 76, freed after being held hostage in Niger since 2025

Two European women, one Swiss and one Austrian, were freed after more than a year of captivity in Niger and arrived in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi early Thursday. Local media announced the release late Wednesday night, crediting the intervention of Saddam Haftar, the deputy commander-in-chief of the eastern Libyan forces. The women, identified as Eva Gretzmacher, 76, and Claudia Abbt, 69, had been kidnapped separately in the northern Nigerian city of Agadez in January and April 2025. While specific details regarding the mechanics of their rescue were not immediately disclosed, Libyan officials stated that the women would be handed over to their respective home countries once necessary administrative procedures were completed. The release marks the end of a prolonged ordeal for both women, who were held by Islamic State militants according to earlier reports linking the abductions to the group. Al-Masar television, a channel based in eastern Libya, broadcast footage showing the two women appearing exhausted and emaciated. In the video, they sat beneath a portrait of Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the powerful military leader of eastern Libya, and spoke in French to thank their liberators. Gretzmacher, who described herself as an aid worker who had lived in Niger for many years, said she had been held for a year and nine months. She expressed her gratitude to Marshal Haftar and his son, Saddam, for securing their freedom. Abbt, a community worker who had also resided in Agadez for several years, stated she had been taken hostage for a year and six months. She too directed thanks toward the Haftar family for their role in her liberation. The circumstances surrounding the release remain partially opaque. The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs had not issued a statement confirming the reports at the time of publication, though it acknowledged receiving encouraging information regarding the fate of the Austrian citizen. An official from the Austrian foreign ministry noted that while there were positive signs, the complex process of handover was not yet fully concluded. A fact-check conducted by Reuters verified the authenticity of photos and videos released by the Libyan army, matching facial features and jewelry against archival images of the missing women. Despite the confirmed identities, no formal explanation was provided by the captors or the Libyan authorities detailing how the exchange was negotiated or executed. Logistical arrangements for the women’s return home began immediately upon their arrival in Benghazi. According to the private news outlet Air Info Agadez, a plane was scheduled to depart the city on Thursday. The flight was expected to make an initial stop in Vienna to transfer Gretzmacher to Austrian authorities before proceeding to Switzerland to deliver Abbt. Al-Masar footage showed the women boarding what appeared to be an ambulance shortly after arriving in the city, where they received medical attention from health workers. The release occurs against the backdrop of deep political fragmentation in Libya. Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 following a NATO-backed uprising, the country has remained divided between two rival administrations. One government, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, is based in Tripoli and holds recognition from the United Nations. The other administration operates in the east and is controlled by Marshal Khalifa Haftar and his clan. This division has complicated diplomatic and security matters, often leaving international actors to navigate competing jurisdictions. The broader regional context involves persistent instability in the Sahel. Niger has suffered from years of jihadist violence, including deadly attacks and kidnappings perpetrated by groups linked to both al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The country has been under military rule since 2023, when General Abdourahmane Tchiani deposed the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum. These conditions have made the safe extraction of foreign nationals particularly difficult, often requiring intermediaries or direct engagement with non-state armed groups. The abduction of Gretzmacher and Abbt in Agadez highlighted the vulnerability of expatriates and humanitarian workers operating in the region during this period of heightened insecurity. Reactions from the families of the victims played a role in the diplomatic pressure applied for the release. Al-Masar cited appeals from the families as a factor prompting Saddam Haftar’s involvement in the efforts to secure their freedom. The deputy commander-in-chief, Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar, was specifically named in announcements on social media platforms as having intervened in the process. The visual evidence of the women’s physical condition underscored the severity of their detention, which lasted longer than initially estimated by some observers. As the women prepared to leave Libya, questions remained about the status of other foreigners potentially held in the region. However, immediate focus shifted to the successful repatriation of these two individuals. The coordination required to move them from a conflict zone in Niger to a divided state in Libya, and finally to their home nations, illustrates the intricate web of local and international interests involved in such crises. The absence of a ransom demand or public statement from the captors left the exact terms of the release undisclosed, maintaining a degree of ambiguity around the final stages of the operation. The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing risks facing civilians in parts of West Africa and North Africa. With two governments in Libya still contesting authority, the handover of the women to their respective embassies represents a rare instance of cooperation facilitated by the eastern military leadership. The journey from Agadez to Benghazi, and subsequently to Europe, concludes a chapter of uncertainty for the two women, who had dedicated significant portions of their lives to work in Niger. Their return brings closure to cases that had drawn international attention throughout 2025 and into 2026.