Princeton University student Elizabeth Tsurkov missing since March, is under custody of militants in Iraq: Report

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a student of political science at Princeton University was kidnapped in March by members of the Shiite group Kataeb Hezbollah in Baghdad.

Horrible update has come up in the disappearance of a Princeton University student who went missing in Iraq in March 2023. As per info from Israeli officials on Wednesday, 36-year-old Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian citizen and student of political science at Princeton University, was kidnapped in March by members of the Shiite group Kataeb Hezbollah in Baghdad.

This undated image provided by the Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy on July 5, 2023, shows non-resident fellow Elizabeth Tsurkov. An Israeli-Russian academic who had been missing in Iraq for months is being held by the pro-Iran armed faction Kataeb Hezbollah, the Israeli prime minister's office announced on July 5, 2023. Kataeb Hezbollah is a powerful faction of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi, Iran-backed former paramilitaries that were integrated into the Iraqi security forces in recent years. (AFP)

“[Elizabeth Tsurkov] is an Israeli-Russian dual citizen who has been missing for several months in Iraq, where she is being held by the Shi’ite militia Kata’ib Hezbollah,” the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.

The Israeli government “views Iraq as responsible for her fate and safety,” it said.

According to a report by New York Post, Elizabeth is also a fellow at the American think tank the Foreign Policy Research Institute. The institute notes that Elizabeth's is a researcher having large network of contacts across the Middle East and particularly in Syria.

“This incident is being handled by the relevant agencies in Israel out of concern for the security and well-being of Elizabeth Tsurkov,” said Netanyahu’s office.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials have also denied rumours in Arab media about Elizabeth being a spy of Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency.

She is “absolutely not a member of Mossad, period, exclamation point, underline,” a senior Israeli official told media on Wednesday.

“She is an innocent Israeli citizen doing doctoral work in Princeton. There is no connection between Israeli officials and Elizabeth,” added the official.