New details revealed: Israeli Elizabeth Tsurkov kidnapped in Iraq

July 16, 2023   

Middle East scholar Elizabeth Tsurkov has been missing for four months, after being kidnapped in Iraq in March. Elizabeth Tsurkov is a well-known Middle East scholar and holds Israeli and Russian citizenship. She also serves as a research fellow at the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies in Philadelphia. Tsurkov entered Iraq using a Russian passport. She first visited the Kurdistan region, and later moved to Baghdad. She is being held by the Shiite militia. The Prime Minister's Office is making efforts on several levels to secure her release. "This is an academic who entered Iraq using her Russian passport, and on her own initiative. The reason for Tsurkov's visit to Iraq was for the purpose of her doctoral thesis and academic research on behalf of Princeton University in the United States. The incident is being handled by the relevant authorities in the State of Israel, while taking care of Elizabeth Tsurkov's safety and well-being.".