United Arab Emirates authorities announced Sunday the discovery of an unidentified body as concerns intensify over the fate of Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary who disappeared from Abu Dhabi on Thursday under suspicious circumstances.
Security sources suspect Kogan, who also holds Moldovan citizenship, fell victim to a targeted attack by operatives allegedly working for Iran, who reportedly surveilled him from his kosher grocery business in the Emirati capital before escaping to Turkey. UAE officials issued their first statement Saturday evening, hours after news of his disappearance broke, notably avoiding any mention of his Israeli ties.
The country’s Interior Ministry confirmed receiving a missing person report for a Moldovan national identified as Tzvi Kogan, noting all contact with him had been lost since Thursday. The ministry stated that relevant security agencies had launched search operations and opened an investigation. Officials urged the public to rely exclusively on official sources, warning against “malicious rumors and false information” designed to “mislead the public.”
The local Foreign Ministry announced it is “closely monitoring the disappearance of Moldovan citizen Tzvi Kogan and remains in contact with his family, offering all necessary assistance. The ministry encourages the public to seek information through official channels.”
Ministry officials confirmed ongoing coordination with the Moldovan Embassy in Abu Dhabi, emphasizing that the nation’s Interior Ministry is undertaking extensive measures in the search operation.