World News
Austrian and Swiss women kidnapped in Niger reportedly freed, local reports say
Deutsche Welle reports, citing local media, that two women kidnapped in Niger have been freed and flown to Benghazi, Libya.
The short version
- An Austrian woman and a Swiss woman kidnapped in Niger have reportedly been freed after 18 months in captivity, according to local reports.[Deutsche Welle]
- The two women were reportedly flown to Benghazi, Libya, and both thanked Khalifa Haftar and his son Saddam for their release.[Deutsche Welle]
- Haftar reportedly oversaw the operation, but which group held the women and what it demanded remain unclear.[Deutsche Welle]
- Deutsche Welle has not independently verified the Libyan broadcast video showing the women speaking.[Deutsche Welle]
Key facts
- An Austrian woman and a Swiss woman kidnapped in Niger have been freed after 18 months in captivity, according to local reports.[Deutsche Welle]
- The two women were flown to Benghazi, Libya, Libyan media outlets reported on Thursday.[Deutsche Welle]
- Both women thanked Khalifa Haftar, deputy commander-in-chief of Libya's armed forces, and his son Saddam for their release.[Deutsche Welle]
- Haftar reportedly oversaw the operation that freed the women.[Deutsche Welle]
What remains uncertain
- It is not immediately clear which group held the women or what demands it made.[Deutsche Welle]
- Deutsche Welle has not independently verified the video released by the Libyan news channel showing the two women speaking.[Deutsche Welle]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.
- Austrian, Swiss women kidnapped in Niger are freed — reportDeutsche Welle
- Two European women held captive for more than a year in Niger freed in LibyaBBC News - World
- An Austrian and a Swiss woman freed in Niger after a year and half in captivityABC News - International