Princeton Researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov Released By Kataib Hezbollah After 2 Yrs Of Captivity REVISED

Image of Elizabeth Tsurkov at the cafe where she would be kidnapped by Kataib Hezbollah in March 2023

Princeton researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov was released by Kataib Hezbollah after being held in captivity for over 29 months in Iraq. There are various reports that the U.S. and Iraqi governments gave concessions to obtain her freedom.

 

Elizabeth Tsurkov was on her tenth trip to Iraq in March 2023 working on her thesis for Princeton University on Shiite parties when she was taken. She was meeting with cleric Ahmed Alwani and his cousin Mohammed Alwani who is a senior official in Kataib Hezbollah. After they found out she was an Israeli citizen they decided to kidnap her.

 

She went to the Ridha Alwan café in Baghdad’s Karada district on March 26, 2023 when she was taken by Kataib Hezbollah. Al Rabia TV showed footage of her walking into the establishment before her abduction.

 

After her kidnapping Kataib Hezbollah claimed that she was a Mossad agent to justify their action.

 

It wasn’t until September 9, 2025 that Tsurkov was released. The Trump administration claimed that she’d been tortured.

 

The Sudani government stated that it would hold accountable those that kidnapped Tsurkov. A government spokesman blamed outlaws not wanting to name Kataib Hezbollah which is part of the government.

 

There were several reports in the Iraqi media that Washington and Baghdad made concessions to ensure Tsurkov’s freedom. According to Al Sumaria the U.S. promised that it would withdraw its forces from Iraq. The National added that the Americans and Israelis promised not to attack the Hashd. Al Aalem ran a story that Prime Minister Mohammed Sudani promised not to go after the pro-Iran Resistance factions that attacked Iraqi radar installations in July during the Israel-Iran conflict. That implies that Kataib Hezbollah was involved. Al Aalem also mentioned that a large ransom might have been paid.

 

This is the latest example of how brazen the pro-Iran factions are and how weak the Iraqi government is. During the Israel-Iran conflict the Resistance not only assaulted Iraqi military bases but Kurdish targets several times and nothing happened. Right afterwards Kataib Hezbollah attacked an Agriculture Ministry building in south Baghdad to try to keep an official in office that was helping the group buy up land that was to be used for a major highway project. The group got into a gun battle with the police which killed one policeman and one civilian and wounded 12 others. PM Sudani dismissed two Kataib Hezbollah brigade commanders involved but nothing else was done. This means despite more statements about accountability Kataib Hezbollah will likely go unscathed again.

 

SOURCES

 

Al Aaelm, “Tusrkov released from captivity … What was behind the secret deal with the kidnappers?” 9/10/25

 

Mahmoud, Sinan, "Elizabeth Tsurkov's release ends ordeal but exposes fragility of Iraqi state," The National, 9/10/25 

 

Rudaw, “Iraq says to hold perpetrators ‘accountable’ after release of Israeli-Russian researcher,” 9/10/25

 

Salami, Daniel, “Iraqi TV footage shows Israeli researcher leaving cafe just before abduction,” Ynet News, 7/7/23

 

Shafaq News, “Israeli-Russian Researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov’s Circumstances of Alleged Kidnapping in Iraq Revealed,” 7/17/23

 

Al Sumaria, “Source: Elizabeth Tsurkov’s release comes with conditions,” 9/9/25

 

Xinhua, “Iraqi PM sacks paramilitary commanders over gov’t office attack,” 8/10/25