Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton researcher who holds Israeli and Russian citizenship, was freed in Iraq after being held for more than 900 days by an Iranian-backed militia. “I am pleased to report that Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton Student, whose sister is an American Citizen, was just released by Kata’ib Hezbollah,” US President Donald Trump wrote on September 9. Trump added that Tsurkov was safely in the US Embassy in Baghdad “after being tortured for many months” and called on Hamas to release the 48 hostages it holds in Gaza.
Tsurkov was kidnapped in Baghdad in March 2023. In July 2023, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that “Elizabeth Tsurkov is an Israeli-Russian dual citizen who has been missing in Iraq for several months and is being held by the Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah.” Israel said that it held Iraq responsible for her well-being. “She is an academic who visited Iraq on her Russian passport, at her own initiative, pursuant to work on her doctorate and academic research on behalf of Princeton University in the US,” the office’s statement noted.
Kataib Hezbollah and its leaders have been sanctioned by the US government as a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The group is part of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which is an official state paramilitary security force.
Efforts to free Tsurkov continued throughout 2024 and 2025 as Iraq’s government claimed it was working to free her. Trump administration Special Envoy for Hostage Response Adam Boehler played a key role in these efforts throughout 2025. Elizabeth Tsurkov’s sister, Emma, who campaigned to free her, wrote on September 9, “We cannot wait to see Elizabeth and give her all the love we have been waiting to share for 903 days. We are so thankful to President Trump and his Special Envoy, Adam Boehler.” She also thanked “Josh Harris and his team at the US Embassy in Baghdad for the support they provided to our sister and the team at the nonprofit Global Reach, who advocated relentlessly for my sister’s safe return.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani claimed that freeing Tsurkov was the “culmination of significant efforts exerted by our security agencies over many months.” Sudani said Tsurkov was a Russian citizen, not mentioning that she was also Israeli. “We reaffirm once again that we will not be lenient in enforcing the law and upholding the authority of the state, and we will not allow anyone to tarnish the reputation of Iraq and Iraqis.” He did not mention Kataib Hezbollah.
The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office also issued a statement asserting that in “late March 2023, a group kidnapped Russian citizen Elizabeth Tsurkov while she was in Baghdad, in a crime that does not reflect the reality of the stable security situation in all Iraqi cities.” It added that security agencies in Iraq had worked behind the scenes to secure Tsurkov’s release and “ensure the safety of the kidnapped Russian citizen.” The statement references the work of “several internal entities” working together to locate and reach Tsurkov and “subsequently hand her over to the United States Embassy, which will, in turn, facilitate her reunion with her sister, who holds American citizenship.”
The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office says that security agencies will continue to pursue those “involved in this crime and hold them accountable in accordance with the law” without mentioning Kataib Hezbollah. The statement portrays the effort as linked to Iraq’s “reputation, security and stability.” Iraq’s Embassy in Washington also referenced the country’s “reputation” and “sovereignty.” Iraqi politician and cleric Ammar al Hakim commented on the release of Tsurkov on September 10, noting, “We appreciate the release of the kidnapped Russian woman (Elizabeth Tsurkov), and we emphasize the necessity of protecting Iraq and sparing it from any action that might jeopardize its security and economic stability.”
A source reputed to be from Kataib Hezbollah claimed to French Arabic language media that Tsurkov had been released and not freed by Iraqi authorities. Kataib Hezbollah linked the decision to let her go to the US withdrawal from Iraq. This claim by the Kataib Hezbollah source also appeared in the pro-Hezbollah Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper, which similarly portrayed Kataib Hezbollah as freeing Tsurkov as part of a decision that would spare Iraq “conflict.” There was no confirmation if her freedom was due to a deal, although Israel’s Maariv claimed a Lebanese naval officer was also released.
The release of Tsurkov has been praised in Washington and Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office noted that “in staff work directed by Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch, which continued for many months, and following many efforts, we succeeded in bringing about her release.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio thanked Iraq’s prime minister for “his support in freeing Elizabeth. This is peace through strength in action.” The US Embassy in Baghdad also thanked Iraq’s prime minister. Congressman Abe Hamadeh, who had supported efforts to liberate Tsurkov, also highlighted her freedom.
