Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian researcher and Princeton student who disappeared in Iraq in March 2023, has been freed and is now at the American embassy in Baghdad, U.S. President Donald Trump and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Tsurkov "was just released by Kataib Hezbollah, and is now safely in the American embassy in Iraq," and wrote that she had been "tortured for many months." He added, "I will always fight for justice and never give up," and urged Hamas to "release the hostages, now!" The remarks tied her release to broader hostages issues stemming from the October 2023 attacks in Israel.
Sudani confirmed the release in a separate post on X, saying it was "a culmination of extensive efforts exerted by our security services over the course of many months." He said Iraqi security services had located the site where Tsurkov was being held and handed her over to the U.S. embassy on Tuesday. The U.S. embassy in Baghdad did not immediately provide additional details.
Tsurkov disappeared in March 2023 while conducting field research in Iraq, according to previous statements from Israeli officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said she was being held by Kataib Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed Shia militia. Tsurkov reportedly entered Iraq on her Russian passport, Netanyahu's office has said. Her work has focused on the Levant and the Syrian uprising and civil war.
Kataib Hezbollah, also known as the Brigades of the Party of God, receives financial and military support from Iran and has long been active in Iraq. The group was designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. government in 2009.
Details about where Tsurkov was held, the circumstances surrounding her release, and whether any negotiations or military action were involved were not disclosed by Iraqi or U.S. officials in their initial statements. Sudani attributed the recovery to Iraqi security operations rather than an external rescue.
Tsurkov's family and representatives did not immediately issue public statements following the officials' announcements. Her sister is an American citizen, and earlier reports said Tsurkov was a student at Princeton University.
Her disappearance last year drew international attention and concern from human rights groups, academics and governments, and was cited in Israeli statements linking militia groups in Iraq to her abduction. Baghdad has faced repeated internal and external pressure to rein in militias that operate outside state control while also navigating complex relations with Tehran and Washington.
U.S. and Iraqi officials have not released a timeline for Tsurkov's departure from Iraq or any planned medical or consular arrangements. Sudani said security services were able to "uncover" the location where she had been held before transferring her to the U.S. embassy, indicating Iraqi authorities played a direct role in her recovery.
The case highlights ongoing security challenges in Iraq, where state forces contend with armed groups that maintain significant influence. It also underscores diplomatic sensitivities involving citizens with multiple national ties and the involvement of foreign embassies in consular protection.
Further details about Tsurkov's condition and next steps are expected to be provided by U.S. and Iraqi authorities once consular and medical assessments are complete.