American journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in central Baghdad on Tuesday evening by unidentified assailants, Iraqi authorities confirmed, as security forces launched an urgent operation to locate her and apprehend those responsible.
Iraq’s interior ministry said a foreign journalist had been abducted by “unknown individuals” in the capital, without initially disclosing her identity or nationality. A security source later confirmed the victim as Kittleson. The ministry added that efforts were under way to secure her release, with multiple units deployed to track the perpetrators.
According to officials, security forces pursued a vehicle believed to be used in the kidnapping. The car overturned near Musayyib as the suspects attempted to flee, leading to the arrest of one individual. Authorities also seized one of the vehicles linked to the abduction, while continuing to hunt for others involved.
“The Ministry affirms that efforts are ongoing to track down the remaining individuals involved and secure the release of the kidnapped journalist,” the statement said.
The US embassy in Baghdad declined to comment on the incident.
While Baghdad was once notorious for kidnappings, such incidents had declined in recent years due to improved security conditions. However, the abduction echoes past cases, including the 2023 kidnapping of Israeli-Russian academic Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was held for nearly two years before being released.
