President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Princeton University student Elizabeth Tsurkov has been freed after nearly two years in captivity, saying she was released by Kata'ib Hezbollah and is “now safe” inside the American embassy in Iraq.
Trump wrote the update on his Truth Social platform, saying Tsurkov — a Russian-Israeli dual citizen who identifies as Jewish — had been abducted in Baghdad’s Karrada district in 2023 while conducting academic research for her dissertation. He said she had been “just released” by Kata'ib Hezbollah and added that he would “always fight for JUSTICE, and never give up.”
Tsurkov’s family has said she was taken from a café in Karrada and has previously alleged that she was tortured over an extended period while being held. Her sister is an American citizen. The president’s post also included a broader call to Hamas, saying, “HAMAS, RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, NOW!”
Trump’s announcement identified the captors as Kata'ib Hezbollah, an Iraqi militia group. The president’s post did not provide details about how the release was secured, whether it involved U.S. consular or diplomatic efforts, or whether any conditions or negotiations preceded her departure from captivity. The administration has not released an independent statement confirming the details in the president’s post as of Tuesday.
Princeton University identified Tsurkov in past reporting as a graduate student conducting doctoral research. She has been the subject of appeals by family members and activists seeking her return since her disappearance in 2023. U.S. consular access to dual nationals and people with multiple citizenships can vary, and the process for securing releases involving militia groups in Iraq has at times involved complex diplomatic channels.
The announcement comes amid heightened attention to hostage situations in the region, and follows other international efforts to secure detained or missing researchers, journalists and aid workers in Iraq and neighboring countries. Officials in Washington and Baghdad did not immediately provide additional confirmation beyond the president’s post.
Further information, including any medical updates, consular arrangements and the circumstances of Tsurkov’s transfer to the U.S. embassy, is expected as U.S. and Iraqi officials review and coordinate on next steps.