Trump Announces Release of Elizabeth Tsurkov From Militia Captivity

Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian graduate student at Princeton University, has been released after more than two years in captivity by Kataib Hezbollah, a militia in Iraq. Tsurkov was abducted during a research trip in March 2023 and endured months of torture, according to U.S. officials.

Her release was announced Tuesday by President Donald Trump, who said she is now safe at the American Embassy in Baghdad. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani also confirmed the news, crediting his country’s security forces with securing her release and vowing to uphold Iraqi sovereignty.

The breakthrough comes shortly after Trump signed an executive order giving Washington greater authority to designate state sponsors of wrongful detention and impose penalties on governments or groups holding foreign nationals. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly thanked Trump for his involvement, while Tsurkov’s family welcomed the end of what they called a long and agonizing ordeal.

Efforts to free Tsurkov under the Biden administration had stalled, with officials citing her lack of U.S. citizenship as a barrier. A Trump administration envoy traveled to Iraq in February to push negotiations, paving the way for Tuesday’s announcement.