An American journalist kidnapped in Iraq. "Possible Hezbollah hostage

One American journalist – Shelly Kittleson – was rapita a Baghdad yes one armed group. He brings it back Arabic quoting the Iraqi Interior Ministry.

The journalist collaborates with various media including some Italian ones. It was published today on Foglio website one of his articles entitled “The price of Kurdish neutrality. The attacks in Kurdistan Iraqi”.

The Iraqi security forces – as far as we know – they have one of the kidnappers arrestedwhile the others are fled with the kidnapped woman.

Shelly Kittleson “was taken out of the capital, towards the governorship of Babil.” This was reported by an Iraqi security source cited by Arabic. Again according to the same sources, the person stopped he was the driver of the gang that carried out the kidnapping and partly wore a badge of a security institution.

Kittleson’s representative: “He is a possible Hezbollah hostage”

“I can confirm that my friend Shelly Kittleson has been kidnapped and may have been taken in hostage in Baghdad by Katàib Hezbollah. Neither his whereabouts nor his condition are known. I am your designated contact person in the United States. If you have information, please provide it to law enforcement and send me a private message.” He wrote it on X Alex Plitsasnational security analyst for CNN.

The video of the kidnapping

And video di Alarabiya/Alhadath documented the moment a car pulled up next to a woman in one of the streets of the Iraqi capitalbefore a group of armed men approached and forced her to board the vehicle, which then quickly drove away.

American journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in central Baghdad in broad daylight.

Armed men stopped her car on a busy street, pulled her out, and fled.

Iraq’s Interior Ministry confirmed the abduction, arrested one suspect after a vehicle chase, and says search… pic.twitter.com/wxdMil2pGO

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 31, 2026

The Iranian Interior Ministry confirms: “We are on the trail of the kidnappers”

Il Iraqi Interior Ministry confirmed the kidnapping from the American journalistShelly Kittleson, without however confirming her identity.

“Il Ministry of the Interior announces that this evening a foreign journalist was kidnapped by unidentified individuals. The security forces they immediately launched an operation to identify those responsible, based on precise information and through operational activities in the field, following the movements of the kidnappers. The chase led to the interception of a vehicle used by the kidnappers, which overturned during the escape attempt. Security forces arrested one of the suspects and seized one of the vehicles used in the seizure“, we read in a note from the Ministry.

Operations for the liberation

And Baghdad they assure that “work is underway operations to track down the others individuals involvedget the liberation of the journalist and adopt all legal measures necessary towards those responsible, in accordance with the law”.

Commitment to safety

“No investigations – we read again – are still in progress to fully clarify the dynamics of the event and further details will be provided later”. Ministry finally reiterates “his own I commit to prevent any attempt to destabilize security or hit foreign citizensensuring that the law enforcement agencies will continue to work resolutely to prosecute those responsible.”