Elizabeth Tsurkov, Princeton student held captive in Iraq, is released, Trump says

Source: WaPo

Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian dual citizen and Princeton University graduate student who was kidnapped in 2023 by a Shiite militia in Iraq, has been released, President Donald Trump said 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 (MILITANT Hezbollah), and is now safely in the American Embassy in Iraq after being tortured for many months. I will always fight for JUSTICE, and never give up. HAMAS, RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, NOW!” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani also confirmed Tsurkov’s release in a post on X.

“As a culmination of extensive efforts exerted by our security services over the course of many months, we announce the release of the Russian citizen, Elizabeth Tsurkov. We reaffirm, once again, that we will not tolerate any compromise in enforcing the law and upholding the authority of the state, nor will we allow anyone to undermine the reputation of Iraq and its people,” he wrote.


Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/09/09/elizabeth-tsurkov-iraq-kidnapping-release/