Austrian and Swiss aid workers released after captivity in Niger
Two humanitarian workers from Austria and Switzerland have been freed after nearly two years in captivity. The pair arrived in a city in Libya and are scheduled to travel to their respective home countries. Both women were abducted separately in a region of Niger in early 2025. Sources attribute the kidnappings to the Islamic State in the Sahel. Reports suggest a prominent Libyan political figure played a role in their release, though this remains unconfirmed. The exact details of their liberation have not been disclosed.