Kidnapped Princeton University Student Seen For 1st Time In New Video

PRINCETON, NJ — Elizabeth Tsurkov, the Princeton University student who was kidnapped in Iraq, was seen for the first time in a video since her abduction.

Tsurkov was kidnapped by Iraqi militia while conducting research in Baghdad nearly nine months ago.

On Monday, Iraqi TV network Al Rabiaa TV aired the video of Tsurkov, which was initially shared on the Telegram channel.

She is seen wearing a black shirt and speaking to the camera in Hebrew.

The AP said it could not verify the authenticity of the video that was released on Monday. “Videos of prisoners meant to document a proof-of-life often include statements coerced by captors or statements otherwise made under duress,” the AP said.

In the video, Tsurkov mentions the war between Israel and Hamas and says there have been no efforts made to free her.

Tsurkov was kidnapped in Iraq while conducting research on an “approved” topic for her dissertation, Princeton University officials said last month.

Tsurkov’s kidnapping was first made public by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in July.

An Israeli-Russian PhD scholar, Tsurkov visited Iraq on her Russian passport and was kidnapped by the Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah, according to Netanyahu.

The Iraqi government later announced it had opened an investigation into the kidnapping, but has not announced any findings since.

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

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