Niger – Air Info, April 29, 2025
Air Info has obtained, exclusively, proof of life of Eva Gretzmacher, the Austrian national kidnapped in Agadez, Niger, on the night of January 11, 2025. The proof, in the form of a photo, was received on April 29, which marked her 74th birthday. Our sources confirm that she is in good health and is currently being held by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) on Malian territory.
According to information verified by Air Info, Eva Gretzmacher has been joined by Claudia, the 67-year-old Swiss national abducted in Agadez on April 13, 2025. Both women were kidnapped using the same method — a nighttime abduction from their homes — and are being held by the same terrorist group.
Our sources indicate that Eva Gretzmacher was transferred by local subcontractors — intermediaries used by the terrorists to blur the trail — before being handed over to ISGS. The group, known for its mobility, reportedly moved her between Ansongo and Ménaka, then toward Adéramboukane, a desert area near the Mali border.
Silence from Authorities
Despite evidence indicating the hostages’ whereabouts, Niamey, Vienna, and Bern remain silent. None of the three governments has made any official statement. After an emergency security meeting was held in Agadez following each kidnapping, no further public information was released. “Investigations are ongoing,” said a Nigerien security source.
