According to locals and the Austrian foreign ministry, an Austrian woman was abducted by gunmen in Agadez city, Niger, on Sunday. This is the first time a European national has been abducted in the war-torn West African country since a military junta assumed control in 2023.
According to the ministry, Austria’s embassy in Algeria, which is also in charge of Niger, was notified of the kidnapping of an Austrian woman in Agadez and was corresponding with local authorities.
Eva Gretzmacher, an aid worker who has lived in Agadez, hundreds of kilometers (miles) from the main city of Niamey, for more than 20 years, was identified by local media and residents.
