Kidnapped Viennese woman

Son appeals to kidnappers in Niger

A Malian Tuareg group succeeded in freeing a Spanish hostage.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Souleymane Ag Anara)

There are still no signs of life from Eva G., the Viennese woman kidnapped in Niger on January 11. Now the son of the 73-year-old aid worker has appealed to the kidnappers. Meanwhile, a Tuareg group has freed a Spanish hostage in northern Mali.

The man, who had been kidnapped by unknown gunmen in southern Algeria and then taken to neighboring Mali, was freed earlier this week after successful negotiations, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a Tuareg independence group, said on Tuesday, according to the Spanish news agency EFE.  

"The hostage spent the night in freedom in Azawad and is in good health. She is under the protection of FLA and is waiting to be handed over to the Algerian authorities," Ramadane added on social media.

Tuareg concerned about "criminal acts"
The FLA expressed concern about the recent kidnappings of foreigners in Sahel countries. The fact that the kidnappers took the Spanish hostage to the Azawad region in northern Mali is, in their view, "a serious and unacceptable act aimed at damaging the image of the peaceful population" of this region. In a statement, the FLA condemned these "criminal acts", which serve to enrich cross-border organized crime networks.

Eva G.'s relatives still fear for the 73-year-old's life.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com, Jana Patsch)

The release raises hopes that Eva G. may also be freed soon. Her son contacted the 73-year-old's kidnappers via the local news site "Air-Info Agadez". "The kidnapping goes beyond a personal drama - it highlights the profound challenges facing the Sahel. A region full of potential is today torn apart by conflict, insecurity and widespread mistrust. But this crisis need not be inevitable. The Sahel can be more than a place of violence. It can become an area of coexistence and cooperation if we have the courage to act together," emphasized Sohn.

Son also appeals to the international community
His appeal was not only addressed to the kidnappers, but also to the people of the Sahel and the international community. The young generation needs a "new vision" and must leave behind the "old conflicts" between the different tribes, the Austrian continued in his statement. The abduction of his mother should now represent "a turning point". "But this change can only begin if we act," he warned.

As reported, the Foreign Ministry in Vienna has sent a representative of the embassy in Algeria to Niger. A crisis team has also been set up to coordinate the measures. The local authorities are currently conducting a search operation.