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An American journalist is kidnapped in Iraq.
The kidnapping occurred in Baghdad on Tuesday, according to Iraqi officials, who said efforts were underway to find the whistleblower and perpetrators.
Middle East Crisis: Follow the latest developments
Here’s everything we know about the incident so far.
Who was kidnapped?
IraqThe Interior Ministry said in a statement that a foreign journalist had been kidnapped in the country’s capital but did not provide further details about their identity.
The journalist was later identified as freelancer Shelly Kittleson by one of the publications she worked for.
According to his X profile, Kittleson was an award-winning journalist for more than 15 years, reporting on the Middle East and contributing to outlets such as Politico, Foreign Policy magazine and the BBC World Service.
What has happened?
Iraqi security officials said two cars were involved in the kidnapping, which took place on Saadoun Street in downtown Baghdad, before the perpetrators headed southwest towards Babil province.
An alert was then distributed to all checkpoints, leading to a chase in which one of the vehicles reportedly crashed near the town of Al-Haswa.
The other car, carrying Kittleson, fled the scene.
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Following the incident, the Iraqi ministry said one suspect had been arrested and efforts were underway to find Kittleson and his kidnappers.
It said security forces had launched the operation “acting on precise intelligence and through intensive field operations”.
It is not yet clear whether the kidnapping is related to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
What’s the reaction?
In a statement, the US State Department said it was aware of the incident and emphasized that “the Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of the American people”.
He added that “due to privacy and other considerations, we have nothing more to share at this time.”
Assistant Secretary Dylan Johnson wrote on social media that the State Department had previously warned “this individual of threats against them” and said it would “continue to coordinate with the FBI to ensure their release as quickly as possible.”
Johnson, who blamed the Iran-backed Iraqi militia, Kataib Hezbollah, for the kidnapping, added: “Iraq remains at Travel Advisory Level 4 and Americans are advised not to travel to Iraq for any reason and to leave Iraq now.”
Al-Monitor, a US news company covering the Middle East to which Kittleson contributes, said it was “deeply concerned by the abduction” and called for his “safe and immediate release”.
In a brief statement, the publication said: “We support her important reporting from the region and call on her immediate return to continue her important work.”
