Two European women freed after more than a year in captivity in Niger and handed over in Libya

Two European women who were held captive for more than a year in Niger have been freed and handed over to authorities in the Libyan city of Benghazi. The women are Swiss national Eva Gretzmacher, 76, and Austrian Claudia Abbt, 69, who were kidnapped separately in the northern Nigerien city of Agadez in January and April last year. The circumstances of their release have not been disclosed.

Libyan officials said the women would be transferred to their respective countries after the necessary procedures were completed. Local television footage showed the pair entering what appeared to be an ambulance and later being attended to by a health worker. In a brief statement in French, the women thanked Khalifa Haftar, the military commander in eastern Libya, and his son Saddam Haftar for helping secure their release.

The case draws attention to the continuing risks faced by foreigners in the Sahel, where kidnappings have remained a persistent security threat. Niger and neighbouring areas have seen years of jihadist violence, including attacks and abductions linked to groups associated with al-Qaeda and Islamic State. The region has also been affected by political instability, including Niger's military takeover in 2023 after Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani removed elected president Mohamed Bazoum.

Libya's role in the handover also reflects the country's divided political landscape. Since the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, the country has remained split between rival administrations, with eastern forces aligned with Haftar and a western government based in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah. The Benghazi handover places eastern Libyan authorities at the centre of a case involving two European nationals taken in a neighbouring country.

Gretzmacher had lived for many years in Niger as an aid worker, while Abbt had spent several years living and working as a community worker in Agadez. Reports said a plane was expected to leave Benghazi on Thursday, first stopping in Vienna so Gretzmacher could be transferred to Austrian authorities before continuing to Switzerland with Abbt. No details have been given about who held the women or what led to their release, although some reports had previously linked the kidnapping to Islamic State militants.

What remains unclear is who negotiated the handover, what conditions were attached to the release, and whether any arrests or further transfers will follow. The women are expected to be returned to Austria and Switzerland after the formalities are completed. The case is likely to remain under scrutiny because it links hostage-taking in the Sahel with Libya's fragmented security environment and cross-border coordination over foreign detainees.

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