Princeton University doctoral student Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli and Russian citizen, has been kidnapped in Iraq and is being held hostage by the Shiite group Kataeb Hezbollah, according to Israeli officials. Tsurkov, who was conducting research for her doctoral thesis, was last heard from on March 21. The State Department has condemned the abduction but has not confirmed if the US government will get involved in her release. Tsurkov's family holds the Iraqi government responsible for her safety. Tsurkov's background includes working with human rights organizations in the Middle East and she has previously spoken out against prisoner swap deals.

The post Princeton Grad Student Missing in Iraq, held by militia group, officials say appeared first on Balanced News Summary.