Kidnapped Princeton Scholar Freed By Iraqi Militia After 2 Years

PRINCETON, NJ - Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian PhD student at Princeton University who was kidnapped by Iraqi militia, has been released.

The news was shared by President Donald Trump on the social media platform Truth Social.

"I am pleased to report that Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton student, whose sister is an American citizen, was just released by Kataib Hezbollah, and is now safely in the American embassy in Iraq," Trump said.

Elizabeth was being held by the Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah, according to Israel. She was kidnapped while conducting research in Baghdad in 2023.

No information was shared about her current condition.

The news of her kidnapping in 2023 was shared by Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, whose office said she had entered Baghdad using her Russian passport.

Her sister Emma had been advocating for her release, meeting with lawmakers and urging action.

On Tuesday evening, she shared the news in her newsletter to followers.

“My entire family is incredibly happy. We cannot wait to see Elizabeth and give her all the love we have been waiting to share for 903 days. We are so thankful to President Trump and his Special Envoy, Adam Boehler. If Adam had not made my sister’s return his personal mission, I do not know where we would be,” Emma said.

“We also want to thank Josh Harris and his team at the US Embassy in Baghdad for the support they provided to our sister and the team at the nonprofit Global Reach who advocated relentlessly for my sister's safe return.”

Kataib Hezbollah or Brigades of the Party of God, is an Iraqi Shia militia that gets financial support from Iran. The U.S. has designated the group a terrorist organization since 2009.

Elizabeth began studying at Princeton in 2019. She specializes in the Middle East, including Syria, Israel-Palestine, and Iraq.

On Tuesday, University President Christopher Eisgruber released a statement saying he was relieved and filled with joy at the news of Elizabeth’s release.

“We thank President Trump for securing Elizabeth’s release. We are also grateful to those who worked tirelessly to bring an end to her terrible ordeal, including her family, friends and advocates,” Eisgurber said.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also expressed his gratitude to President Trump and Boehler for their work in getting Elizabeth free.

Elizabeth’s research at Princeton University focuses on the Levant – a geographical term referring to the region including Israel and Syria - and “particularly, the Syrian uprising and civil war,” according to her website.

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com