Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli with Russian citizenship, was kidnapped in March in Iraq by gunmen from the pro-Iranian Kataib Hezbollah militia that operates in the country. Tsurkov is a renowned expert on Syria, ISIS and the Middle East.
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According to reports, Tsurkov entered Iraq using her Russian passport. She apparently was kidnapped at the beginning of March while she was in the Kurdish area of Baghdad, from where she was abducted by a group of terrorists.
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Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli with Russian citizenship, was kidnapped about four months ago in Iraq by gunmen from the pro-Iranian Kataib Hezbollah
The Prime Minister's Office said that Tsurkov "is an Israeli and Russian citizen, who has been missing in Iraq for several months and is being held by the Shia militia as a hostage of Kataib Hezbollah. Elizabeth Tsurkov is still alive, and we see Iraq as the one responsible for her fate and safety. This is an academic who visited Iraq, using her Russian passport, at her own initiative pursuant to work on her doctorate 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, with concern for Elizabeth Tsurkov's safety and well-being."
Media both inside and outside of Iraq have not reported that Tsurkov is an Israeli citizen, but say that she "belongs to the Jewish religion." Al-Jadeed newspaper quoted security sources in Iraq, who said that "a Russian citizen who also holds American citizenship was kidnapped in the heart of Baghdad, and the security forces arrested an Iranian citizen on suspicion of involvement in the act."
The Kataib Hezbollah militia in Iraq are not related to the terrorist organization of the same name from Lebanon. The commander of Kataib Hezbollah was Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was killed along with Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in January 2020. This is a Shia terrorist organization, which is supported and receives funding from Iran.
Tsurkov, a doctoral student in the political science department of Princeton University in the US, defines herself as a researcher of jihadist groups. She also holds a master's degree in Middle Eastern history from Tel Aviv University and a bachelor's degree in communication and international relations from Hebrew University. According to the Van Leer Institute, her research focuses on Syria and Iraq , and is based on an "extensive network of contacts and research trips in the Middle East." Tsurkov has spent 10 years working with human rights organizations in Israel and the Middle East.
A senior political official hinted that a significant sign of life had been received from Tsurkov "She is alive, in good condition, and we expect it to continue."
Israel is conducting behind-the-scenes negotiations in an attempt to bring about her release through several channels, including the Russian government, the American government and others.
The source stated that Tsurkov, a renowned expert on Syria, ISIS and the Middle East, is "entered Iraq using her Russian passport. Iraq is an enemy country, there is She has a severe travel warning of level 4. The Israeli law to prevent infiltration also prohibits Israeli citizens who hold foreign passports from entering enemy countries."
The source clarified that Tsurkov is not a Mossad agent, and that whoever kidnapped her did so "on the basis of her being a foreigner, a Russian and an Israeli. They basically knew she was Israeli. We have been involved in the incident for some time. The State of Israel is making every effort to ensure the safety of its citizens, their security and to return them home - and actions are being taken accordingly. We have been in close contact with the family since the beginning of the events, around March of this year. This was not Tsurkov's first trip to Iraq, and probably not only there - she has been to other dangerous places."
Tsurkov, previously worked as former government minister and Nobel laureate Natan Sharansky's assistant. Sharansky told Ynet that he is concerned for her safety.
"I have been following her fate with great concern for several months now," Sharansky said. "This is an excellent woman who grew up in Israel. She immigrated to Israel from St. Petersburg with her parents when she was five years old. She did research on women's rights in the Middle East on behalf of Princeton University."
In July 2019, after a visit to the city of Mosul in northwestern Iraq, which has become a symbol of the fight against ISIS, Tsurkov published an article in Yediot Ahronoth. In it, Tsurkov wrote that "I have been researching the Kurdish communities in Iraq and Syria for years as part of the Forum for Regional Thinking, an Israeli research institute. Only recently, thanks to my Russian passport and connections in the local Kurdish governments, I was able to visit the areas under their control in northern Iraq and Syria."
Even then, Tsurkov was aware of the dangers, but she explained: "I was ambivalent about visiting Mosul, due, among other things, to the presence of Shia militias in the city and attacks that ISIS cells continue to carry out. But the pleas of my good friend who lives in Mosul to come visit and eat from her gardens tipped the scales. On the way from Erbil, as I passed more and more checkpoints of the militias, I thought to myself how stupid it would be to get involved in Mosul just because I didn't like refusing the invitation. The knowledge that I would be walking around the city with friends who know the area well and know where IEDs are still located, gave me confidence."
Tsurkov previously commented on Twitter about an Israeli citizen who crossed the border into Syria and was kidnapped, and tweeted: "In general, I am against prisoner deals – even if I get into trouble on my next visit to Syria or Iraq – but since this is Israel's policy, quick action was correct."
First published: 19:10, 07.05.23