Al-Sharq Al-Awsat: The Aim of Kidnapping an Israeli Citizen in Iraq is to Exchange for an Iranian Prisoner

Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, an Arabic newspaper published in London, reported citing Iraqi sources that the kidnapping of Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Russian-Israeli researcher in Iraq, was aimed at pressuring Israel for the release of an Iranian prisoner held in Israel. According to the newspaper, the Iranian in question could be Youssef Shahbazi Abbasalilu, whom Israel announced in June of this year it had abducted from Iranian territory for planning an attack on Israeli targets in Cyprus. Israel has not disclosed the timing of Youssef Shahbazi Abbasalilu's arrest or whether it was before the abduction of Ms. Tsurkov. Some sources told the media that negotiations for the exchange of the two are being mediated by Russia, which 'may lead to the release of Tsurkov in the coming days.' Al-Sharq Al-Awsat also reported that there are conflicting reports regarding the location of Elizabeth Tsurkov's detention, as some sources say she is being held in Iraq by the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades, an Iran-aligned militia, while others have reported her transfer to Iran. Earlier, the office of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, stated that she is being held by the Hezbollah Brigades. Elizabeth Tsurkov, a 36-year-old doctoral student, grew up in Israel. Since entering university, her research has focused on the Syrian civil war and also on militia groups in Iraq and Lebanon, and according to her colleagues, she had worked for a non-profit organization in Gaza for some time and is a critic of Israel's national security policy. Iraq is investigating the kidnapping of the Israeli researcher by the Iran-aligned group. Netanyahu's office: The Iranian proxy group has 'held' the Israeli student in Iraq for months. Israel holds the Iran-aligned militias responsible for the kidnapping of an academic researcher in Iraq.