Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian doctoral student, has publicly detailed her 903-day captivity in Iraq by militants, from which she was freed in September. Tsurkov reported experiencing physical abuse and interrogation during her detention.
Abduction and Initial Captivity
In March 2023, Tsurkov, a 39-year-old Princeton University PhD candidate, was conducting fieldwork for her comparative politics studies in Baghdad. She stated she was abducted by two men who pulled her into a car as she walked home. During the initial month, she reported being deprived of food and interrogated. She initially asserted Russian citizenship, but her Israeli citizenship was discovered when captors accessed her phone.
Methods of Detention and Abuse
Following the discovery of her Israeli citizenship, Tsurkov reported an escalation in abuse for approximately 100 days. She described being restrained, hung from the ceiling, subjected to beatings, and electrocution. Specific methods included being cuffed with hands behind her back or above her head, and a method known as "the scorpion," involving crossed shoulders behind the back.
Tsurkov stated she invented "confessions" based on her captors' beliefs, which included theories about the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia creating ISIS and the US promoting homosexuality. She aimed to avoid implicating Iraqis. She believes her captors were members of Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia in Iraq designated a terrorist organization by the US.
Release and Related Statements
After approximately 100 days, Tsurkov was moved to another location where the physical abuse ceased, though she remained in solitary confinement without external light. She attributed her release to the alleged involvement of US businessman Mark Savaya, appointed as a US special envoy to Iraq in October. Tsurkov stated Savaya traveled to Baghdad a month prior to her release and conveyed a message to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, reportedly indicating that former President Trump was concerned about her captivity and that Kataib Hezbollah leadership would face consequences if she were not released within a week.
On September 9, Iraq's Prime Minister Sudani announced Tsurkov's freedom, crediting the efforts of Iraqi security services and emphasizing commitment to law enforcement. He did not mention Kataib Hezbollah or any US threats. Two weeks later, Abu Ali al-Askari, a senior Kataib Hezbollah official, released a statement claiming Sudani's government sought Tsurkov's release to prevent a US strike and to compel US forces to withdraw. He also claimed Tsurkov had provided information under interrogation.
Post-Release and Future Plans
Tsurkov is currently undergoing physical and psychological rehabilitation in Israel and intends to complete her PhD at Princeton University. She has observed an increase in influence of Iran-backed militias in Iraq's recent parliamentary elections. She characterized Iraq's system as corrupt and stated militia commanders operate above the law. Tsurkov, a long-standing critic of Israeli government policy towards Palestinians and regionally, has noted a transformation in Israel post-October 7, 2023, describing collective symptoms of PTSD among Israelis and a weakening of voices supporting peace.