Release of Elizabeth Tsurkov Marks a New Chapter Amidst Ongoing Tensions

Mon Sep 15 2025 14:49:20 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The release of Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was held captive in Iraq for several months, raises questions about security and the geopolitical landscape between Iraq, Iran, and Israel.

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a researcher abducted in Iraq, was recently freed after extensive efforts by Iraqi security services. The U.S. confirmed her release, citing her torture during captivity, while highlighting the complex interplay of regional tensions involving Iranian-backed militias and international political dynamics.

An Israeli-Russian researcher has been released after being tortured for many months by her Iraqi militia abductors, U.S. President Donald Trump has 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 Ms. Tsurkov's release shortly afterwards. She had gone missing in Iraq during a research trip in March 2023. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated several months later that she was being held by the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah.

In a post on X, Sudani expressed that Ms. Tsurkov's release marked a culmination of extensive efforts exerted by our security services over the course of many months. He elaborated that the security forces were able to uncover the location where she had been held before handing her over to the U.S. embassy.

Ms. Tsurkov, who had entered Iraq on her Russian passport, focuses her research on the Levant and has emphasized the significance of understanding historical contexts in regional conflicts.

Kataib Hezbollah, a powerful Iraqi Shia militia, receives support from Iran and was designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2009.

In his Tuesday post, Trump also declared, I will always fight for justice and never give up. Hamas, release the hostages, now! referencing other individuals captured in recent conflicts.