Sister recounts 903-day fight to free sibling kidnapped in Iraq

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton graduate student, was kidnapped in Iraq in March 2023 by a militia that held her for ransom, sparking a 903-day ordeal that her sister has now recounted publicly. The abduction highlighted the dangers faced by Western researchers and aid workers operating in Iraq, where kidnappings for ransom remain a persistent security threat. Tsurkov's case drew international attention and prompted diplomatic efforts to secure her release. Her sister's account of the lengthy negotiation and captivity underscores the human toll of such kidnappings on families and the complex process of securing hostages held by armed groups in conflict zones.