\n<\/p>\n
An Israeli-Russian researcher has been released after “being tortured for many months” by her Iraqi militia abductors, US President Donald Trump has announced.<\/p>\n
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: “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”.<\/p>\n
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed Ms Tsurkov’s release shortly afterwards.<\/p>\n
She had gone missing in Iraq during a research trip in March 2023 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said several months later that she was being held by the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In a post on X, Sudani said Ms Tsurkov’s release was “a culmination of extensive efforts exerted by our security services over the course of many months”. <\/p>\n
He added that the security services on Tuesday were able to “uncover” the place the student had been held, before handing her over to the US embassy.<\/p>\n
Ms Tsurkov entered Iraq on her Russian passport, Netanyahu’s office said at the time.<\/p>\n
According to Ms Tsurkov’s website, her research focuses on the Levant – a historical term that refers to a large geographical region including present-day Israel, Syria and other areas – and “the Syrian uprising and civil war”.<\/p>\n
Kataib Hezbollah (Brigades of the Party of God) is a powerful Iraqi Shia militia that gets financial and military support from Iran. It was designated by the US as a terrorist organisation in 2009.<\/p>\n
In Tuesday’s post on Truth Social, Trump also said: “I will always fight for justice and never give up. <\/p>\n
“Hamas, release the hostages, now!” he added, in a reference to those people seized by the Palestinian group during its deadly attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n