Overview

• The Israeli-Russian researcher’s release on September 9 was announced first by U.S. President Donald Trump and minutes later by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Chia Al-Sudani.
• Trump claimed she had been tortured for months, released by Kataeb Hezbollah, handed to the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, and then sent to Israel, assertions not independently verified in the coverage.
• Al-Sudani confirmed the release without identifying the captors or detailing the conditions that led to her freedom.
• Independent outlet Al-Alam Al-Jadid reported a secret, political arrangement involving Washington, Baghdad, and pro-Iran factions, with the overall circumstances still unclear.
• Tsurkov was abducted in Baghdad on March 21, 2023 while researching pro-Iran groups for her Princeton doctorate, and Israeli officials had blamed Kataeb Hezbollah.