Sister recounts relentless fight to free sibling held captive in Iraq for 903 days

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton University doctoral student, was released in September 2025 after spending 903 days in captivity held by an Iran-backed militia in Iraq. Her sister Emma waged a sustained campaign for her freedom, lobbying governments and raising public awareness of the case during years of hostage negotiations. Tsurkov endured torture and isolation during her detention, which began with her kidnapping by the militia group. Emma's relentless advocacy proved pivotal in securing her sibling's release and return to the United States. As Tsurkov recovers from her ordeal, she is working toward resuming her doctoral research at Princeton.