Two European Women Freed After More Than 18 Months Held Hostage in Niger, Bern and Vienna Announce
BERN — Switzerland and Austria jointly announced on October 22 that two European women abducted in Niger have been released. The freed women are Claudia Abbt, 69, of Switzerland and Eva Gretzmacher, 76, of Austria, who had been held for more than a year and a half.
The two were seized by armed men in Niger and their whereabouts were long unknown, while Swiss and Austrian authorities pursued diplomatic channels. Neither government disclosed details of the release process or conditions, confirming only that both women are safe.
Armed groups are active across the Sahel region, where Niger is located, and abductions of foreign nationals occur from time to time. Both governments thanked those who assisted in the negotiations and said consular and medical support would be provided to the freed women.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 伯尔尼瑞士联邦宫 / Federal Palace, Bern。图片：© Axel Tschentscher / CC BY-SA 4.0，Wikimedia Commons
