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Human RightsNiger

Austrian woman kidnapped in Niger

January 13, 2025

The Foreign Ministry in Vienna has confirmed that a woman has been kidnapped in the northern Niger city of Agadez. It is the first abduction of a European citizen in the West African country since the 2023 coup.

https://p.dw.com/p/4p5Dv
Sunset over the desert town of Agadez, Niger (FILE: May 24, 2015)
Niger has been mired in conflict involving Islamist groups linked to al-QaedaImage: Akintunde Akinleye/REUTERS

An Austrian woman has been kidnapped in the northern Niger city of Agadez, local media and the Austrian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry said that Austria's embassy in Algeria, which is also responsible for Niger, had been alerted and was in contact with regional authorities on the ground.

Local media outlet Air-Info Agadez identified the individual as a 73-year-old who has lived in Agadez, some 900 kilometers (560 miles) away from the capital city of Niamey, for more than 20 years.

No group claimed responsibility for her abduction. So far, Niger authorities have not provided any comments on the incident.

First time a European citizen has been kidnapped since 2023 coup

The kidnapping marks the first time a European citizen is known to have been abducted in the West African nation since a military coup in 2023.

Explainer: Why is Niger so important for the West?

Niger, like its neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso, has been mired in conflict involving Islamist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the so-called "Islamic State."

Analysts say the situation in Niger has worsened since the military toppled the country's democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023.

ess/jsi (AP, AFP)