American journalist Shelly Kittleson abducted in Iraq
AL-Monitor • • world
Key Points:
- American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson was abducted by unidentified individuals in Baghdad, according to Iraq’s Interior Ministry, which has launched an operation to locate her kidnappers.
- Authorities intercepted a vehicle believed to belong to the abductors, but Kittleson was not found in it; she was reportedly taken near the Baghdad Hotel on Saadoun Street.
- Kittleson's kidnapping echoes the 2023 abduction of Russian Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was held hostage by a pro-Iranian militia for over two years before her release.
- Kittleson is a seasoned journalist known for reporting from conflict zones in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, with no known political agenda, and has contributed to outlets like Al-Monitor.
- The U.S. State Department is aware of the situation and is collaborating with Iraqi authorities to secure Kittleson's release, as confirmed by anonymous U.S. officials.
