Austrian kidnapped in Niger: shock for development workers!
Austrian kidnapped in Niger: shock for development workers!
Agadez, Niger - Last Saturday evening, the 73-year-old Austrian development assistant Eva Gretzmacher was kidnapped in the city of Agadez in Niger. The Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the incident. According to media reports, masked people, armed with rifles, have appeared at Gretzmacher at home and forced their security guard with gun power to open the door. Then she was shipped to a Toyota V6 off -road vehicle. This kidnapping is particularly alarming because it has been the first known kidnapping of a European citizen in the West Africa, which was characterized by the conflict, since the takeover of a military junta in 2023, reported AP News .
Eva Gretzmacher has been living in Agadez for over 20 years, where she drives private development projects with her organization "Amanay". In 2010 she founded a competence center that specializes in education, women's promotion, ecology, culture and art. In the region, she is known for her social commitment. However, Niger has been affected by jihadism for years, with groups that are connected to al-Qaida and the Islamic state. Despite the increasing violence and the kidnapping of foreign citizens, no group of Getzmacher's kidnapping has so far been known, as reported.
The Austrian embassy in Algeria, which is also responsible for the Niger, was informed about the kidnapping and is in contact with the regional authorities. Despite the critical security situation, the authorities hope that the kidnapped Austrian will be found quickly and unscathed. However, this remains in view of the ongoing uncertainty and the military government in Niger.
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| Ort | Agadez, Niger |
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