Security agencies intensify efforts to rescue kidnapped US journalist Shelly Kittleson in Baghdad.

A US freelance journalist, Shelly Kittleson, has been kidnapped in Baghdad, with Iraqi and US officials indicating that one of the suspects has links to an Iran-backed militia.

According to Al-Monitor, the outlet she contributes to, Kittleson was abducted on Tuesday evening. The Iraqi Interior Ministry disclosed that security operatives pursued the kidnappers, leading to an accident in which one of their vehicles overturned and a suspect was arrested.
A US State Department official confirmed that an individual connected to the Iran-aligned militia group Kataib Hezbollah had been detained by Iraqi authorities. Meanwhile, Dylan Johnson acknowledged the abduction of an American journalist but did not mention Kittleson by name.
In a post on X, Johnson stated that the State Department had previously warned the journalist about threats and would continue working with the FBI to secure her swift release. Reports indicate that US officials had contacted Kittleson several times regarding threats, including as recently as Monday night.
The State Department, in a statement to the BBC, said it could not provide further details due to privacy considerations. Al-Monitor reported that local sources suggested Kittleson was taken near a hotel in central Baghdad and confirmed that US authorities are collaborating with the Iraqi government to ensure her release.
Describing the situation as alarming, Al-Monitor called for her immediate and safe release. An Iraqi official also told CBS that authorities are handling the matter at the highest level.
Kittleson’s emergency contact, Alex Plitsas, revealed that she had been warned by the US government about a specific threat from Iran-backed paramilitary groups. Reports suggested that Kataib Hezbollah had plans to target female journalists.
Plitsas further disclosed that Kittleson had been informed her name appeared on a list held by the group, although another source said she initially dismissed the warning as false.
The Interior Ministry stated that security forces launched an immediate operation based on intelligence, tracking the kidnappers’ movements. During the chase, one of the suspects’ vehicles crashed while attempting to flee.
Although the ministry did not disclose the identities of those involved, it described them as “unknown individuals” and affirmed that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects and secure Kittleson’s release.
Kittleson, who is based in Rome, has reported on conflicts across Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, contributing to several international publications.
Sources familiar with the case told CBS that agencies including the FBI, National Security Council, State Department, Delta Force, and the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service are coordinating efforts regarding the abduction.
While Baghdad was once notorious for kidnappings, such incidents have declined in recent years as Iraq’s security situation has improved.