An American freelance journalist was abducted in central Baghdad on Tuesday by unidentified armed men, Iraqi authorities said, as security forces launched an operation to locate her and arrest those responsible.
The journalist was identified as Shelly Kittleson, a U.S. citizen known for reporting from conflict zones across the Middle East. Iraqi police sources said she was taken by force by several men in civilian clothing near the Baghdad Hotel on Saadoun Street.
Moments of American journalist’s abduction in Baghdad
According to Iraq’s Interior Ministry, security forces acted immediately based on what it described as “precise intelligence,” tracking the suspects and intercepting a vehicle believed to have been used in the abduction. The vehicle overturned as the kidnappers attempted to flee, and one suspect was arrested, though Kittleson was not found inside.
Authorities said efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining suspects and secure her release.
Kittleson, who has spent years based in Italy and is currently living in Rome, has reported extensively from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. She has contributed to multiple international outlets, including Al-Monitor, and previously wrote for the BBC and Politico.
U.S. officials said they were aware of the case and were working with Iraqi authorities. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the State Department is engaged in efforts to secure her release. U.S. sources had previously warned of threats against her and advised against travel to Iraq.
The kidnapping has drawn comparisons to the abduction of Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was seized in Baghdad in March 2023 by the pro-Iranian terrorist group Kataib Hezbollah and held for more than two years before being freed in a deal brokered with U.S. involvement.
In a statement, Iraq’s Interior Ministry said security forces are continuing operations to apprehend those involved and ensure the journalist’s safe return.
“The ministry confirms that efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining perpetrators, secure the journalist’s release and take all necessary legal measures against those involved,” the statement said, adding that investigations into the circumstances of the incident are continuing.
The abduction comes amid heightened security warnings issued by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad in recent weeks, cautioning American citizens of increased threats, including the risk of kidnapping.