American journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Baghdad on Tuesday, according to multiple sources and an Iraqi official. Iraq’s Interior Ministry confirmed the abduction of a foreign journalist by unidentified individuals but did not name Kittleson. The ministry stated that security forces had apprehended one suspect and seized a vehicle used in the kidnapping.
Alex Plitsas, Kittleson’s U.S. point of contact and a CNN national security analyst, verified her abduction to CBS News. Plitsas said the U.S. government had previously warned Kittleson of a specific threat from the Iranian-backed militia Kata’ib Hezbollah, which allegedly targeted her for kidnapping or assassination. Kittleson had been informed that her name was listed by the group, although she initially considered the threat likely inaccurate.
Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, confirmed on X that the arrested suspect has links to Kata’ib Hezbollah. Without mentioning Kittleson by name, he said the State Department had fulfilled its duty to warn her and was coordinating with the FBI to secure her release promptly.
An Iraqi official told CBS News that authorities were pursuing her release “at the highest level.” U.S. agencies involved in the response include the FBI, the National Security Council, the State Department, Delta Force, and the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service.
Kittleson, a freelance reporter for the Middle East-focused outlet Al-Monitor, was widely supported in calls for her safe release. Al-Monitor issued a statement urging for her immediate freedom and condemned the kidnapping as an attack on vital regional journalism.
Why it matters
This kidnapping highlights the ongoing threats faced by journalists covering conflict zones, particularly involving Iranian-backed paramilitary groups linked to violence in Iraq. The U.S. government’s high-level coordination underscores the seriousness of militia activity targeting foreign nationals and the efforts to counter such threats in a volatile security environment.
Background
In recent years, Kata’ib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., has been implicated in multiple attacks against U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq. On March 29, the U.S. Embassy in Iraq issued warnings of possible attacks by Iran-aligned militias targeting American-associated institutions, urging U.S. citizens to depart the country for safety reasons. Shelly Kittleson had reportedly been on a warning list due to these escalating risks.
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