Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian researcher, has been freed after being tortured for many months by her Iraqi militia abductors, as reported by U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that Tsurkov, a Princeton student whose sister is an American citizen, was released by Kataib Hezbollah and is now safe at the American embassy in Iraq.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani later confirmed her release, stating that it was the result of extensive efforts by the country's security services over several months.
Tsurkov had gone missing during a research trip in March 2023, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicating months later that she had been held by the Iran-backed militia, Kataib Hezbollah.
The Iraqi security services reportedly discovered Tsurkov's location prior to her rescue and facilitated her handover to the U.S. embassy.
During her research, Tsurkov focused on the Levant region and the Syrian civil war. Kataib Hezbollah is recognized as a powerful Iraqi Shiite militia with support from Iran, and it was designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2009.
President Trump noted, I will always fight for justice and never give up, also urging Hamas to release hostages taken during a recent attack on Israel.
