A Swiss woman and an Austrian woman kidnapped in Niger more than a year and a half ago have been freed and have arrived in Benghazi, Libya, authorities have confirmed.

The Swiss national, identified as 69-year-old Claudia Abbt, and the Austrian national, identified as 76-year-old Eva Gretzmacher, were freed after an intervention by Libya’s eastern military commander, Khalifa Haftar, who controls eastern Libya and parts of the south, and his son, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Saddam Haftar.

According to Libyan broadcaster Al-Masar, the two women appeared tired in a video broadcast on Wednesday night, sitting beneath a portrait of Field Marshal Haftar, where they thanked their rescuers in French.

Abbt said she was taken hostage a year and six months ago, while Gretzmacher said she had been held for a year and nine months.

The Austrian was kidnapped on January 11, 2025, in the desert town of Agadez in central Niger, where she had been living for years, while the Swiss was abducted on April 13, 2025. No group has publicly claimed responsibility for the abductions.

The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the release on Thursday, stating that its citizen was met in Benghazi by Swiss federal administration staff, received medical care and is doing well under the circumstances. The ministry said she is currently on her way back to Switzerland.

Similarly, Austria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Gretzmacher had been received by an Austrian crisis response team following intensive diplomatic efforts. Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger described her release after more than 21 months as a relief after an unimaginable ordeal for her and her family.