American journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Baghdad on Tuesday, according to sources and her media organisation, CNN reported. Iraqi authorities later confirmed that a foreign female journalist had been abducted in the city by unknown individuals.
There is still no clear answer on who carried out the kidnapping. However, reports say Kittleson had been facing threats for some time, including warnings of possible abduction by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia known for targeting Americans.
The US government is now closely tracking the situation and is working with Iraqi officials to bring her home safely. A US official said efforts are underway, though details remain limited.
Who is Shelly Kittleson? American Journalist abducted in Baghdad
Shelly Kittleson is a US freelance journalist who has spent years reporting from conflict zones. She is based in Rome and has covered major developments across the Middle East and Afghanistan.
According to her profile, she is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in well-known outlets like Al-Monitor, Foreign Policy, Politico, and the BBC World Service. Her reporting has focused on some of the most difficult and dangerous regions in the world.
The outlet said it was “deeply alarmed” by what had happened and called for her “safe and immediate release.” “We call for her safe and immediate release. We stand by her vital reporting from the region and call for her swift return to continue her important work,” the statement read.
The incident took place on Tuesday in central Baghdad. Two Iraqi security officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Kittleson was abducted from Saadoun Street. They said four men in civilian clothes grabbed her and forced her into a vehicle. From there, the kidnappers tried to flee the area.
According to the officials, two vehicles were involved in the operation. One of them crashed during the chase and was stopped by security forces near the town of Al-Haswa. But by then, Kittleson had already been moved into a second vehicle, which managed to escape.
US had warned Kittleson
According to CNN, citing sources, the US government had already warned Kittleson about threats against her. One source said she was told about a possible plot by Kataib Hezbollah to kidnap or even kill her while she was still reporting in Iraq. Another source added that both US and Iraqi officials had been tracking these threats for weeks and had advised her multiple times to leave the country.
“The State Department previously fulfilled our duty to warn this individual of threats against them and we will continue to coordinate with the FBI to ensure their release as quickly as possible,” Johnson said, without going into further detail.
Rising risks in Iraq
The kidnapping comes at a time when security risks in Iraq have been rising. Since tensions with Iran escalated in late February, the United States Embassy in Iraq has repeatedly warned Americans to leave the country.
In its latest advisory over the weekend, the embassy said, “Do not travel to Iraq for any reason. Depart immediately if you are there,” warning that Iranian-backed militias could attempt to kidnap US citizens.
For now, Kittleson’s whereabouts remain unknown, as efforts continue on the ground to bring her back safely.