Arab media reported Saturday that the Iraqi government has reached an agreement for the release of Elizabeth Tsurkov, who is being held by a Shiite militia.
At the same time, a senior US official stated that the United States would not agree to release an Iranian citizen who murdered an American in Iraq in exchange for Tsurkov’s freedom.
According to the Amwaj news site, negotiations over the details are taking place through secret backchannels. Several Arab sources confirmed that Elizabeth Tsurkov is expected to be handed over to Iraqi authorities in the coming days or even hours. In exchange, a Lebanese commander, Hezbollah operatives, and an Iranian citizen are reportedly to be released.
Earlier Saturday, the Iraqi channel Al-Rabaa, affiliated with pro-Iranian militias, reported that Tsurkov’s release deal would include the release of an Iranian detainee in Iraq and six others accused of attacking American targets.
Three sources, including a senior Iraqi government official, told the Saudi-owned Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the negotiations have reached their final stage and only the actual release remains. One source said, “It was a very long and difficult negotiation, but in the end, a deal was reached that also involved a ransom payment.”
Elizabeth Tsurkov is a Russian-Israeli academic who has been held captive in Iraq since March 2023. A recognized expert on Syria, ISIS, and Middle Eastern affairs, she holds a master’s degree in Middle Eastern history from Tel Aviv University and a bachelor’s in communication and international relations from the Hebrew University. At the time of her abduction, she was working on her PhD at Princeton University in the United States. In November 2024, a first video of Tsurkov surfaced, roughly eight months after her kidnapping.