Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian researcher, has been released after being tortured for many months by her Iraqi militia abductors, US President Donald Trump announced.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated: I am pleased to report that Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton student, whose sister is an American citizen, was just released by Kataib Hezbollah and is now safely in the American embassy in Iraq.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed her release shortly thereafter.
Tsurkov went missing in Iraq during a research trip in March 2023, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had stated she was being held by Kataib Hezbollah.
In a follow-up post on X, Sudani reported that Tsurkov's release was the result of extensive efforts from Iraqi security services over several months.
These security services managed to uncover the location where Tsurkov had been held, ultimately leading to her handover to the US embassy.
Initially entering Iraq on her Russian passport, Tsurkov focuses her research on the Levant, including Israel and Syria, and the Syrian uprising and civil war.
Kataib Hezbollah, a prominent Iraqi Shia militia with ties to Iran, has been classified as a terrorist organization by the US since 2009.
In the same post, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to justice and urged Hamas to release hostages captured during their recent attacks on Israel.
