Princeton academic Elizabeth Tsurkov released from captivity in Iraq, Donald Trump says

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Russian-Israeli academic at Princeton University, has been freed after more than two years of captivity in Iraq.

The doctoral student was kidnapped in Baghdad in March 2023. US President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that militant group Kataib Hezbollah was behind her detention.

Mr Trump said Ms Tsurkov was “now safely in the American embassy in Iraq after being tortured for many months”.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani said in a post on X that Ms Tsurkov's release was the culmination of “significant efforts exerted by our security agencies over many months”.

“We reaffirm once again that we will not be lenient in enforcing the law and upholding the authority of the state, and we will not allow anyone to tarnish the reputation of Iraq and Iraqis,” he said in a post on X.

Ms Tsurkov's sister Emma, who is a US citizen, expressed her thanks to Mr Trump and hostage envoy Adam Boehler in a post on X.

“My entire family is incredibly happy,” she said. “We cannot wait to see Elizabeth and give her all the love we have been waiting to share for 903 days.”

Sister of Elizabeth Tsurkov makes heartfelt plea more than two years after kidnapping

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The Trump administration has not yet clarified the conditions surrounding Ms Tsurkov's release. Iraqi media reported in May that significant efforts were under way to free her, with TV channel Al Rabiaa saying she would be released in exchange for an Iranian and six others held in Iraq over “attacks on American interests”.

In February, Mr Trump's hostage envoy criticised Mr Al Sudani over Ms Tsurkov's continued detention.

Mr Boehler said Mr Al Sudani had “consistently made false promises” to former president Joe Biden's administration about releasing her. He said that if Ms Tsurkov is not released, Mr Al Sudani “should be fired, or worse [would be] complicit”.

Mr Trump issued an executive order last week that grants the State Department more powers to punish countries that wrongfully detain American citizens.

At least 54 Americans were held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas in 17 countries last year, according to the Foley Foundation. Officials said the Trump administration has secured the release of 72 “detained” Americans since January.