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Adam Boehler, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for hostage affairs, has renewed his call for the immediate release of Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian academic abducted in Baghdad in March 2023.
In a statement posted on the X platform, Boehler expressed disappointment with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and urged swift action to secure Tsurkov's freedom, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
"Iraq is a tough country to run. That said, I am very disappointed in the Prime Minister who, so far, seems more interested in words than actions. I hope this changes IMMEDIATELY and we can bring Princeton Student Elizabeth Tsurkov home from the hands of Kata’ib Hezbollah," he posted on X.
Tsurkov, a 36-year-old doctoral student at Princeton University with both Israeli and Russian citizenship, was conducting field research in Baghdad when she was kidnapped. While no group has claimed responsibility, Israeli authorities believe she is being held by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Shiite militia, though the group denies involvement.
Her visit to Iraq was not her first there, and she apparently entered using her Russian passport.
In a previous statement about two months ago, Boehler warned that if Tsurkov is not released, Prime Minister al-Sudani would be considered either incapable or complicit in her abduction. He emphasized that President Trump is now directly involved in efforts to secure her release.
About a month ago, two senior Iraqi officials told the Qatari Al-Araby Al-Jadeed network that the Trump administration had officially asked Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Sudani to resolve the Tsurkov crisis and release her as soon as possible - or there would be "political and economic consequences." The two officials confirmed that the government, with the help of Shiite political leaders, had renewed its activity on this issue in order to avoid American sanctions.
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An Iraqi official acknowledged that while Prime Minister al-Sudani lacks precise information on Tsurkov's whereabouts, he is aware of who is responsible for her abduction. There are concerns that she may have been transferred to Iran or that Iranian intelligence agents have been involved in her interrogation.
Boehler withdrew his candidacy for the position of handling Israeli hostages about a month ago, after a series of media interviews he gave regarding secret contacts he had with Hamas leaders in Doha, which caused a stir among circles in Israel and the U.S. However, it appears that Boehler, who is now defined as a "special government employee," is still dealing with the issue.