RismadarVoice Reporters
October 22, 2026
Two European women reportedly kidnapped in Niger in 2025 have regained their freedom after an extended period in captivity, with their release announced by media organisations based in eastern Libya.
The women, identified as Swiss national Eva Gretzmacher, 76, and Austrian citizen Claudia Abbt, 69, were reported to have arrived in Benghazi following efforts attributed to eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar and his son, Saddam Haftar.
Footage broadcast by eastern Libya-based television station al-Masar showed the two women expressing gratitude to the Haftar family for their reported release.
Gretzmacher, speaking in French, thanked Khalifa Haftar and his son for their involvement in securing her freedom.
She said she had spent approximately one year and nine months in captivity, although the television station described the detention period as about 18 months.
Abbt also expressed relief at regaining her freedom and thanked those involved in the efforts that led to her release.
The circumstances surrounding the women’s abduction, including the identities of their captors and the conditions under which they were held, were not immediately established.
Similarly, details of the negotiations or security arrangements that reportedly facilitated their release have not been made public.
The Libyan News Observatory also reported the development, citing the women’s arrival in eastern Libya.
However, the reports did not establish whether ransom payments, diplomatic negotiations or other arrangements were involved.
The development has drawn attention to security concerns affecting parts of the Sahel, where kidnappings and activities by armed groups have posed threats to residents and foreign nationals.
Niger has faced persistent security challenges involving armed organisations operating across porous borders with neighbouring countries.
The reported release also highlights the role of eastern Libya’s military authorities in regional security matters.
Libya has remained politically divided since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with rival administrations exercising authority in different parts of the country.
The internationally recognised Government of National Unity operates from Tripoli under Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, while a rival administration in eastern Libya is supported by forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar.
Although the women appeared in televised footage following their reported release, the full circumstances of their captivity and the operation that secured their freedom remain unclear.
Independent confirmation from Swiss and Austrian authorities had not been established in the initial reports.
