US secures release of journalist kidnapped in Baghdad
American journalist Shelley Kittleson freed after weeks in captivity by Kata’ib Hizballah near Baghdad, Iraq
The United States has confirmed the release of American journalist Shelley Kittleson, who was abducted in central Baghdad on March 31.
Kittleson was seized near the Palestine Hotel on Saadoun Street in Baghdad, with surveillance cameras capturing the moment of her kidnapping. US officials initially said she had been taken by unknown individuals, but subsequent reports identified the perpetrators as members of Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-aligned armed group operating in Iraq.
In an official statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced her release, saying:
“I am pleased to announce the release of American journalist Shelley Kittleson, who was recently kidnapped by members of the foreign terrorist organization Kata’ib Hizballah near Baghdad, Iraq.”
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A security official within Kataib Hezbollah, Abu Mujahid Al-Assaf, said the journalist’s release was conditional on her immediate departure from Iraq. He described the move as a limited initiative unlikely to be repeated, citing what he called ongoing conflict with a “Zionist-American enemy” and a deteriorating security environment.
The group also circulated a video recorded during Kittleson’s captivity, in which she appeared to state that she had gathered information on Shiite armed factions at the request of the American consul in Baghdad.
Kittleson is an experienced reporter who has covered the Middle East and Afghanistan for international outlets such as the BBC, Al-Monitor, and Politico. Her work has often focused on political and security developments in conflict zones.