The Iraqi government has opened a formal investigation into the mysterious kidnapping of Israeli-Russian academic Elizabeth Tsurkov. On Friday, a government spokesman confirmed that the government is waiting for the results of the investigation into the March disappearance of the Princeton University researcher.

The Israeli Prime Minister's office released a statement on Wednesday saying that Tsurkov had gone missing after travelling to Iraq for research purposes. The statement emphasized that the government saw Iraq as responsible for her safety and well-being, and said that she was being held by the Shia militia Kataib Hezbollah.

Kataeb Hezbollah is part of the Hashed al-Shaabi force which is integrated into Iraq’s security forces, and has ties with Iran. On Thursday evening, Kataeb Hezbollah responded to the accusations, saying that they were looking into the fate of "Zionist hostage or hostages" in the country.

Tsurkov's mother, Irena, has not heard from her daughter in two months. Israeli citizens are not allowed to travel to Iraq, which is considered an enemy state. However, Tsurkov’s research aims to “understand and convey” the views and experiences of people in the Middle East and “highlight abuses by powerful actors … in the region”, according to her personal website.

Tsurkov is a fellow at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, a Washington, DC-based research group, as well as a contributor to the News Line Magazine based in the US capital. She has a large following on Twitter, with over 78,000 followers, and appears to have last tweeted in March.

The investigation into Tsurkov’s whereabouts will be closely watched by the international community. The case highlights the precarious position of international academics and researchers, and the risks they take to pursue their research in volatile regions.