An Austrian woman has been kidnapped by gunmen in Niger’s Agadez city, local residents and the Austrian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday, the first time a European citizen is known to have been kidnapped in the conflict-hit West African nation since a military junta took power in 2023.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abduction of the development worker, who also faced kidnapping threats back in 2021. View on euronews

Residents and local media report that the victim is a 73-year-old who was taken in the city of Agadez. An Austrian woman has been kidnapped in Niger, the first time a European citizen has been seized in the country since the military took power in 2023.

A kidnapping incident has occurred in Niger's Agadez involving an Austrian woman, who was reportedly taken by unknown attackers. The Austrian Ministry has been informed and is coordinating with international partners and local authorities.

The 73-year-old has been active in Niger since 1996 with the private cultural association Amanay she founded and is well connected in Agadez on the edge of the Sahara, including with the authorities.