Washington – The family of Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Russian-Israeli academic and doctoral student at Princeton University who went missing in Iraq six months ago, is calling on the United States to use its influence to secure her freedom. Tsurkov is believed to be held by an Iran-backed militia, which the U.S. considers a terrorist group. Her sister, Emma Tsurkov, expressed dissatisfaction with the current level of pressure and urged for more action during an interview with The Associated Press.
Elizabeth Tsurkov, 36, specializing in Middle Eastern studies with a focus on Syria, disappeared in Baghdad in March while conducting research. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has stated that she is being held by the Shiite group Kataeb Hezbollah or Hezbollah Brigades, which maintains close ties to the Iraqi government. The group’s leader and founder was killed in a U.S. airstrike in January 2020 that targeted General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force.
Emma Tsurkov has been working tirelessly to raise awareness about her sister’s situation, holding meetings in Washington with officials from the State Department, as well as representatives from the Israeli and Russian governments. However, her efforts to arrange a meeting at the Iraqi Embassy were unsuccessful as officials there reportedly disregarded her request.
Emma Tsurkov, a sociology researcher at Stanford University, expressed frustration, stating that while she never wanted to be in this position, she felt compelled to take action since no one else seemed to be actively working to bring her sister home. Elizabeth Tsurkov is not a U.S. citizen, which limits the direct tools available to the U.S. government for securing her release. However, Emma Tsurkov argues that the U.S. still wields significant influence due to her sister’s ties to an American institution and the financial support provided for her research.
During a meeting with a State Department official, Emma Tsurkov emphasized that the substantial financial aid provided by the U.S. to Iraq grants it leverage that should be utilized. The U.S. provides significant military assistance to Iraq to enhance the country’s security, combat the ISIS group, and counter Iran’s increasing influence. The Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group for several Iran-backed militias, including Kataeb Hezbollah, are instrumental in the fight against ISIS and
