Abducted Israeli-Russian researcher confirmed alive

Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian researcher with deep knowledge of the Levant, who was abducted on 21 March in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, is alive, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Wednesday 5 July, writes Amberin Zaman for Al-Monitor.

The statement said that Iraq was “responsible” for the safety of Tsurkov, who was finalising research for her doctoral thesis on patronage networks for Princeton University, and that the “relevant authorities” in Israel are handling the case.

Tsurkov (36) is being held by Kataib Hezbollah, the prime minister’s statement noted. The group is a radical Iran-backed Shiite paramilitary group that is part of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units formed to fight the Islamic State.
Full report on the Al-Monitor site