Israeli-Russian Researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov Held Captive by Shia Militia in Iraq, Says Israeli Prime Minister
July 6, 2023, 12:31 BST – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian researcher who went missing in Iraq in March, is being held captive by a Shia militia. Tsurkov, a PhD student at Princeton University in the United States, was conducting research in Baghdad when she was kidnapped.
According to Netanyahu’s office, Tsurkov is being held by Kataib Hezbollah, a powerful Iraqi Shia militia that receives financial and military support from Iran. The United States has designated the group as a terrorist organization since 2009. Israel has called on Iraq to take responsibility for Tsurkov’s safety and well-being.
The specific demands of Kataib Hezbollah have not been disclosed. Israel stated that relevant parties are handling the matter out of concern for Tsurkov’s security and well-being.
It is important to note that Iraq and Israel do not have diplomatic relations. Last year, Iraq’s parliament passed a law criminalizing any attempt to normalize ties with Israel, a country that it has never recognized.
Tsurkov’s family holds the Iraqi government directly responsible for her safety, as reported by The Washington Post. Netanyahu’s office also confirmed that Tsurkov entered Iraq using her Russian passport.
The New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, a Washington-based think tank where Tsurkov is a fellow, revealed that she last contacted them in March. The institute later learned from sources about her kidnap by a “pro-Iranian militia.” Despite the urge to publicize her disappearance, the institute chose not to do so, respecting the wishes of Tsurkov’s family and hoping for a swift resolution.
Tsurkov’s research focus, according to her website, is on the Levant, including present-day Israel, Syria, and other areas, as well as the Syrian uprising and civil war. The complexity of her situation is compounded by her outspoken criticism of Israel, Iran, and Russia, the countries potentially involved in negotiations for her release, as stated by New Lines.
Princeton University also expressed deep concern for Tsurkov’s safety and well-being, stating that they eagerly await her return to her family and the resumption of her studies.
As of now, the United States, Russia, Iran, and Iraq have not yet made official statements regarding the situation.
Sources:
– BBC News
– The Washington Post