Jerusalem, 10 September, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Elizabeth Tsurkov, the Israeli-Russian researcher who was held hostage in Iraq for two years, has been released, US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday.
“I am pleased to report that Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton Student, whose sister is an American Citizen, was just released by Kata’ib Hezbollah, and is now safely in the American Embassy in Iraq after being tortured for many months,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He added, “I will always fight for JUSTICE, and never give up. Hamas, RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, NOW!”
Tsurkov, 38, had traveled to Iraq for her doctoral research at Princeton, likely entering on her Russian passport. She had previously visited Iraq and other countries in the region as part of her studies.
Her family expressed immense relief at her return. “My entire family is incredibly happy. We cannot wait to see Elizabeth and give her all the love we have been waiting to share for 903 days,” said her sister Emma Tsurkov on X.
Emma praised those who worked to secure her sister’s release. “We are so thankful to President Trump and his Special Envoy, Adam Boehler. If Adam had not made my sister’s return his personal mission, I do not know where we would be,” she said. “We also want to thank Josh Harris and his team at the us embassy in Baghdad for the support they provided, and the nonprofit Global Reach, who advocated relentlessly for my sister’s safe return.”
The details of the negotiation that led to Tsurkov’s release have not been made public.
Kata’ib Hezbollah is an Iran-backed militia that was designated by the US as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2009.
Tsurkov disappeared in Baghdad in March 2023. She was last seen in November 2023 in a propaganda video circulated on Telegram by several Iran-backed Iraqi militias.
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