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Austrian woman in Agadez, kidnapped, reports authorities
An Austrian was kidnapped in Agadez, Niger. Eva Gretzmacher, a committed auxiliary worker, is the first known European kidnapping victim since the 2023 military coup.
Austrian woman in Agadez, kidnapped, reports authorities
in the city of Agadez, Niger, an Austrian woman was kidnapped by armed people, as local residents and the Austrian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Sunday. This is the first time that a European citizen has been kidnapped in the conflict -plagued West African country since the takeover of power in 2023.
Details for kidnapping
The Foreign Ministry announced that the Austrian embassy in Algeria, which is also responsible for Niger, was informed about the kidnapping and is in exchange with the regional authorities.
about the victim
The residents and local media identified the victim as Eva Gretzmacher. She is reportedly a auxiliary worker who has been living in Agadez for more than 20 years, which is hundreds of kilometers from the capital Niamey. According to the local newspaper Air Info Agadez, she is known for her social commitment and founded a training center in 2010 that initiated various projects in the areas of education, women's support, ecology, culture and art.
commitment to the community
gratzmacher also supported and helped educational programs to promote local non -governmental organizations in various areas, according to local media reports.
security situation in Niger
So far, no group has taken responsibility for their kidnapping, and the authorities in Niger have initially not commented on the incident. Niger has been fighting a jihadist insurgence for many years, which is connected to al-Qaida and the Islamic state. According to analysts, this security crisis has tightened since the government's fall in July 2023.political context
Despite the commitments of the Junta to restore peace in the crisis areas, it is increasingly being questioned whether it is able to improve security in Niger, in view of the increasing number of attacks.