European Aid Workers Freed in Libya After Over a Year of Captivity in Niger

Two European women, Austrian national Eva Gretzmacher, 76, and Swiss national Claudia Abbt, 69, were released on October 22, 2026, in Benghazi, Libya, after being held captive for over a year in Niger[6][10]. Gretzmacher was held for more than 21 months and Abbt for over 18 months[2][10].

The release of these two humanitarian workers highlights the persistent security challenges faced by aid personnel in the Sahel and North Africa, a region grappling with ongoing jihadist violence and political instability.

What the records show

Eva Gretzmacher, an aid worker, and Claudia Abbt, a community worker, both lived and worked in Agadez, a city in northern Niger, for many years before their abductions[6][11]. Gretzmacher was kidnapped in January 2025, and Abbt was abducted in April 2025[6][7][10]. No group publicly claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, but earlier reports and several sources linked the abductions to Islamic State militants, specifically the Islamic State in the Sahel (ISS)[7][8][11].

The women arrived in Benghazi, eastern Libya, on October 21, 2026[7][9]. Libyan al-Masar TV showed the women entering what appeared to be an ambulance and later receiving medical attention[6][13]. Libyan officials stated the women would be transferred to authorities in their respective countries after necessary procedures were completed[6][13]. A plane was expected to depart Benghazi on Thursday, October 22, stopping first in Vienna to transfer Gretzmacher to Austrian authorities before continuing to Switzerland with Abbt[6][7][11].

The timeline

Eva Gretzmacher was abducted in January 2025[6][7]. Claudia Abbt was kidnapped in April 2025[6][7]. Both women were held in Niger for over a year, with Gretzmacher in captivity for approximately 21 months and Abbt for over 18 months[2][10]. They were brought to Benghazi, Libya, on October 21, 2026[7][9]. Their release was widely reported by international media on October 22, 2026[6].

What changed and for whom

The release means the two women are returning home after prolonged captivity[1][10]. The Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed its national was met by Swiss federal administration staff in Benghazi, received medical care, and was in good condition given the circumstances[10]. She was reported to be on her way back to Switzerland[1]. The Austrian Foreign Ministry confirmed Gretzmacher's release, with Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger expressing relief after "more than 21 months" of captivity and crediting "intensive diplomatic efforts" with regional, European, and international partners[10].

Intervention by eastern Libyan forces shows the complex geopolitical situation in securing releases in the region[8][11]. Libya remains politically and militarily divided between an administration in the east, backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar, and one in the west[6][11]. Niger, where the women were kidnapped, has been under military control since a 2023 coup[6][11]. The broader Sahel region continues to experience conflict, displacement, and instability[6][11].

What the subjects have said publicly

Speaking in French, both Eva Gretzmacher and Claudia Abbt publicly thanked Khalifa Haftar, the military commander of eastern Libya, and his son, Saddam Haftar, for their release[6][11][13]. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis stated, "I am relieved that the kidnapped Swiss woman is free again after more than a year and a half," and thanked all parties involved[10]. Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger stated, "We are all very relieved that Eva G. is free again after more than 21 months"[10].

What we could not confirm

No group publicly claimed responsibility for the kidnappings of Eva Gretzmacher and Claudia Abbt[6][10]. The precise circumstances of their release have not been disclosed[6][7]. While reports from Libya indicated that Saddam Haftar, deputy commander-in-chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA), played a decisive role in their release at the request of the women's families, his involvement has not been officially confirmed[7][8].