On 20 October, al-Masar TV reported that Austrian national Eva Gretzmacher and Swiss national Claudia Abbt arrived in Benghazi after having been released following a year and half in captivity in Niger. The report attributed the release of the hostages to efforts by the Libyan National Army (LNA) Deputy Commander Saddam Haftar, in response to an appeal by the hostages’ families.
Both women confirmed they were held captive in Niger for a year and nine months, without specifying any further details regarding the group. The released hostages thanked Marshal Khalifa Haftar and his son Saddam for their role in ending their captivity.