Progress has been made towards the release of Israeli-Russian hostage Elizabeth Tsurkov, held in Iraq for over two years by Kataib Hezbollah, with a proposed deal involving her exchange for an Iranian detainee and six others. Tsurkov’s release is part of negotiations between Baghdad and Washington following a senior Iraqi security official’s visit to the U.S., and her sister expressed hope for confirmation of the reports. U.S. President Trump has requested Iraqi Prime Minister al-Sudani to expedite Tsurkov’s release, warning of potential consequences if she remains captive.
