Tel Aviv, Israel – November 11, 2025 – Elizabeth Tsurkov, a 38-year-old Israeli-Russian doctoral researcher at Princeton University, has returned to Israel after enduring 2.5 years of captivity and severe torture in Iraq at the hands of an Iranian-backed militia, believed to be Kataib Hezbollah. Her release, announced last September, comes amid ongoing tensions in Iraq as the country heads to parliamentary elections that include candidates linked to the militia.

Horrific Captivity and Torture

Tsurkov was kidnapped in March 2023 while researching social political movements in Iraq. She was forced into an SUV, blindfolded, beaten, sexually assaulted, and transported to a torture facility on the outskirts of Baghdad.

She endured extreme torture techniques, including:

• Ta’aliq (“to hang”): hands handcuffed above the head and hoisted into the air
• Akrab (“scorpion”): hands handcuffed behind the back before being suspended
• Electrocution and beatings, especially targeting sensitive areas due to pre-existing injuries

Her captors initially believed she was a foreigner and demanded a $600 million ransom, only discovering her Israeli identity a month later. At that point, accusations of espionage intensified the brutality. Tsurkov sustained likely permanent nerve damage and faced life-threatening conditions throughout her imprisonment.

Militia Background

Kataib Hezbollah, a coalition of Iranian-backed militias operating in Iraq, has ties to Hezbollah in Lebanon and is officially part of Iraq’s armed forces but often acts autonomously. The U.S. has designated Kataib Hezbollah as a terrorist organization since 2009. Tsurkov’s experience provides rare insight into Iraqi militia operations, as few survive such torture facilities, and local Iraqis fear speaking out.

International Efforts for Release

Tsurkov’s release followed intense diplomatic pressure, including:

• Trump administration involvement through Adam Boehler, special envoy for hostage affairs
• Advocacy by Iraqi-American businessman Mark Savaya, warning Iraqi officials of potential U.S. action against Kataib Hezbollah
• Israel investing “great efforts and many resources” to secure her freedom

Her release occurred after a devastating 12-day conflict in Iraq in which Israel targeted Iran-backed proxies. She was ultimately handed over to Iraqi security officials and reunited with family at the U.S. Embassy before returning to Israel.

Personal and Academic Background

Tsurkov, born in Russia, moved to Israel at age four. Her family endured imprisonment under the Soviet regime for political opposition. Before her kidnapping, she was recognized in Israeli media for her expertise on the Syrian civil war and advocacy for marginalized groups, including Palestinians, which reportedly angered her captors.

Recovery and Future Plans

Now recuperating near Tel Aviv, Tsurkov is focused on physical therapy and rebuilding her life. She plans to complete her doctoral studies at Princeton and hopes to return to field research once fully healed. Despite the trauma, she expresses gratitude for survival:

“It often feels like a nightmare that I woke up from. It feels so surreal to have undergone, and overcome, such brutality.”