Israeli-Russian Researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov Rescued After Months in Captivity in Iraq
Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, a PhD student at Princeton University, has been held captive by a Shia militia in Iraq since March. The Israeli Prime Minister's office holds Iraq responsible for her safety and well-being. Tsurkov is being held by Kataib Hezbollah, a powerful Iraqi Shia militia supported by Iran. The group's demands have not been specified. Iraq and Israel do not have diplomatic relations, and last year, Iraq passed a law criminalizing attempts to normalize ties with Israel. Tsurkov's family and the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, where she is a fellow, have expressed concern and called for international involvement in securing her release.