An Austrian woman has been kidnapped in Niger, marking the first time a European citizen has been seized in the country since the military takeover in 2023, Al Jazeera reports.
The Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs confirmed the kidnapping on Sunday, stating its embassy in Algeria, which also covers Niger, was in contact with local authorities.
According to a Nigerien security source, the woman was abducted by unknown assailants in the Fada district of Agadez, a city located on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Residents and local media identified the victim as 73-year-old Eva Gretzmacher, who has lived in Agadez, some 560 miles from the capital Niamey, for 28 years.
Local media outlet Air-Info Agadez reported that armed kidnappers arrived at Gretzmacher’s home on Saturday evening, forcing her security guard at gunpoint to open the door before taking her away in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Gretzmacher is known for her commitment to social causes in the region, having established a skills center in 2010 that initiated various educational and women’s empowerment projects, according to Air-Info. She is also known for supporting education programs and local NGOs in various sectors, including ecology and art.
The Austrian Foreign Ministry is seeking assistance from its Nigerien counterpart, and is in contact with regional authorities. As of yet, Niger’s Ministry of Interior has not issued a statement regarding the incident. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abduction.
The kidnapping highlights the rising security threats in Niger, which has been grappling with armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS) for years. Security concerns have escalated since the military coup in July 2023, when the democratically elected government was overthrown.
Following the coup, the military expelled French and United States forces, turning to Russian mercenaries in an attempt to maintain stability. However, the military’s capacity to secure the country has been questioned amid rising attacks by armed groups.
Niger is one of several West African countries battling armed rebellions that have spread from Mali and Burkina Faso over the past 12 years, resulting in thousands of deaths and displacement of millions. Before last year’s coup, Niger was viewed as one of the last democratic nations in Africa’s Sahel region that Western nations could partner with to combat the rebellion.
