Liputan6.com, Jakarta - American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson was reportedly kidnapped in Baghdad on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
The incident happened in downtown Baghdad, near the Baghdad Hotel on Saadoun Street, when Kittleson was ambushed by men in civilian clothes, as reported by The Economic Times.
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The Iraqi Ministry of Interior confirmed the incident, stating that a foreign journalist was kidnapped by "unidentified individuals," and security forces immediately launched a search operation in Baghdad.
Initial investigations have resulted in the arrest of one suspect and the seizure of a vehicle suspected of being used in the kidnapping.
The US government had previously warned Kittleson about specific threats from the Iranian-backed group Kata'ib Hezbollah, adding complexity and urgency to the effort to secure his release.
Incident Details and Investigation in Baghdad
On Tuesday, March 31, 2026, Shelly Kittleson, a freelance journalist from the United States, was kidnapped while in central Baghdad.
She was ambushed by men in civilian clothes near the Baghdad Hotel on Saadoun Street, before being forced into a vehicle and driven away.
The Iraqi Ministry of Interior confirmed the incident, stating that security forces had launched a large-scale operation to track down the perpetrators and locate Kittleson.
During the pursuit, the vehicle suspected of being used by the kidnappers overturned as they attempted to flee, leading to the arrest of one individual.
In addition to the arrest of one suspect, Iraqi authorities also seized the vehicle used in the kidnapping.
Despite initial unconfirmed reports on Iraqi social media regarding Kittleson's possible rescue after the vehicle overturned, the Ministry of Interior confirmed that the journalist had not been released at the time of the official statement.
Alleged Involvement and Previous Warnings in Baghdad
Shelly Kittleson's kidnapping is further complicated by the alleged involvement of the Iranian-backed paramilitary group, Kata'ib Hezbollah.
The United States government had previously issued specific warnings to Kittleson about threats against her from the group.
Alex Plitsas, Kittleson's contact in the US and a CNN national security analyst, confirmed that these warnings had been repeated.
The threats allegedly targeted female journalists for kidnapping or assassination, demonstrating a worrying pattern from paramilitary groups.
Dylan Johnson, US Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs, also corroborated these allegations by confirming that the suspect detained by Iraqi authorities had ties to Kata'ib Hezbollah, linked to the incident in Baghdad.
The US State Department stated that it had "fulfilled its duty to warn these individuals of the threats against them" and committed to continuing to coordinate with the FBI for Kittleson's swift release.
Release Efforts and International Coordination
Following the kidnapping of Shelly Kittleson, various parties have intensified efforts to secure his release.
Al-Monitor, one of the media outlets where Kittleson worked as a freelance reporter, issued an official statement calling for the journalist's immediate and safe release.
At the government level, interagency coordination is underway between the FBI, the US National Security Council, the US Department of State, Delta Force, and the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service.
Iraqi officials specifically stated that they are working "at the highest level" to secure Kittleson's release.
This incident also recalls the March 2023 kidnapping of Russian-Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov in Baghdad, who was also held by Kata'ib Hezbollah.
Tsurkov was held for 903 days before finally being released through a deal brokered by the United States.