Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah admits role in Elizabeth Tsurkov kidnapping, citing national security and foreign pressure in release

For the first time, Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah publicly acknowledged involvement in the abduction and release of Israeli citizen Elizabeth Tsurkov, stating her release served Iraq’s national security objectives.

Roughly two weeks after Tsurkov's release in Baghdad, Kataib Hezbollah stated that handing her over prevented a possible foreign attack on Iraq. The group claimed she was only released after they had extracted all the information she possessed. At that point, they judged her to have no further security value.

 Abu Ali al-Askari, Kataib Hezbollah's senior security official, in a statement, alleged that Tsurkov was part of a network in Iraq aiming to incite conflict among Shia factions. The group further accused her of links to the Tishreen movement, which led to the 2019 protests against Iraq's religious parties.

Al-Askari said releasing Tsurkov was intended in part to pressure the US to honour its agreement to withdraw combat forces from Iraq. He added that the militia had dismantled her alleged network.

The militia's narrative has faced sharp criticism from Iraqi political analysts and lawmakers. 

MP Sajad Salem, an independent Iraqi lawmaker who gained his seat with support from October protest backers, fully rejected the militia's claims. He stated the kidnapping was motivated by ransom, as in previous cases, and that the militia's public justifications served only to cover their embarrassment after discovering Tsurkov's Israeli nationality.

Salem stressed there were no deals or conditions before Tsurkov's release, and said Kataib Hezbollah had to comply quietly with US demands. He argued that this showed the group's weakness, as Tsurkov was ultimately sent to the US embassy, and it was the government, not the militia, that announced her release. 

Tsurkov was abducted in March 2023 in Baghdad's Karrada district. Seven months later, a video surfaced showing her speaking in Hebrew, claiming to work with Israeli intelligence (Mossad) and urging Israel to end its military campaign in Gaza.

On 9 September 2025, the government announced her release, identifying her as Russian and confirming her transfer to the US embassy in Baghdad. Authorities then moved her out of Iraq.

A doctoral candidate at Princeton University, she specialised in Syrian and Middle Eastern affairs and holds dual Israeli and Russian citizenship. She had entered Iraq using her Russian passport, with her research centring on Iraqi Shia militias. 

Tsurkov's case highlights the complexities of militia power, intelligence activity, and Iraqi politics. Kataib Hezbollah's statements aim to influence security narratives despite scepticism among analysts and officials.