BREAKING: American Journalist Shelly Kittleson Kidnapped in Baghdad, Iraq | WATCH
More details will be provided as they become available.
Iraqi authorities have confirmed that U.S. freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson was abducted today in central Baghdad by unidentified armed men.The incident occurred on a busy street near the Palestine Hotel on Al-Saadoun Street (also referenced as Palestine Street in some reports). Armed men stopped her vehicle in broad daylight, pulled her from the car, and fled with her.
Surveillance footage of the abduction has been released by regional media outlet Al-Hadath and is circulating widely on social media.
Iraq’s Interior Ministry immediately confirmed the kidnapping and launched a large-scale search and pursuit operation. Security forces arrested at least one suspect following a vehicle chase.
According to Belaaz:
Security forces seized one of the vehicles used in the kidnapping. During a pursuit the kidnappers' vehicle overturned as they attempted to escape.
Operations to locate Kittleson and apprehend the remaining perpetrators remain ongoing. No group has claimed responsibility, and no motive has been publicly disclosed.
Who is Shelly Kittleson?
A longtime Baghdad-based American reporter specializing in Iraq, Syria, and regional security issues. Her bylines appear regularly in Al-Monitor, Foreign Policy, The National, and other major outlets. She has covered everything from ISIS remnants and pro-Iran militias to U.S.-Iraq relations for over a decade.
Some social media accounts and early reports have claimed she may have been rescued following an exchange of fire, with possible minor injuries. These accounts remain unverified by Iraqi officials or major wire services at this time and should be treated with caution as the situation develops rapidly.
U.S. officials have not yet issued a public statement.
