The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged Iraqi authorities on Wednesday to “take all necessary measures” to ensure the release of American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped the previous day in broad daylight in Baghdad by “unknown individuals”. Sara Qudah, CPJ's regional director, stated in a press release from Iraqi Kurdistan that the kidnapping of the freelance journalist in broad daylight “reflects an alarming gap in journalist security in Iraq, highlighting the growing risk of reporting from the Middle East”. She called on Iraqi authorities to “act swiftly to secure her safe release and hold the perpetrators accountable, while ensuring that the dark era of journalist kidnappings and murders does not return to Iraq”. How was journalist Shelly Kittleson's kidnapping in Iraq? Security camera footage shows a car approaching as Kittleson waited by the roadside on Saadoun Street in central Baghdad, and two men forcing her into the back seat. To date, Iraq has not identified the sole suspect detained in connection with the kidnapping, and no group has claimed responsibility. Three Iraqi sources with knowledge of the case told CPJ on condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisals that the detainee, who was driving the vehicle, was a member of the 45th Brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), backed by Iran. Kataib Hezbollah is part of the PMF, an umbrella group operating under the Iraqi government but maintaining strong ties with Iran and is considered one of the most powerful militias in Iraq. Who is journalist Shelly Kittleson? Kittleson, who lives in Italy, is an experienced freelance journalist who has worked in several conflict zones, such as Afghanistan and Syria, and has contributed to media outlets like the Italian ANSA agency and the US digital newspaper 'Al Monitor'. 'Al Monitor' demanded her “safe and immediate release”. A person from the outlet, who preferred not to be identified, told CPJ that Kittleson was not on assignment for them in Baghdad, as noted in the article. A journalist friend of Kittleson told CPJ that she was staying alone in a modest hotel in the Saadoun area and they met about an hour before her kidnapping on March 31. “We were sitting together when the US embassy called her and warned of real threats from Iraqi militias,” the friend said. Iraq accounts for 10% of the 90 journalists missing worldwide, and before Kittleson's kidnapping, two foreign and seven Iraqi journalists were missing in the country, all confirmed or suspected of having been kidnapped. The last American journalist kidnapped was Steven Sotloff, who was captured in Syria in 2013 and killed in 2014, according to CPJ. In 2023, Russian-Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov was kidnapped in a café in Baghdad and held by the pro-Iranian militia Kataib Hezbollah for 903 days before being released through an agreement negotiated by the United States. Kittleson's kidnapping comes amid the current war initiated by the United States and Israel against Iran, in which several pro-Iranian militias within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), such as Kataib Hezbollah, have attacked US military and diplomatic positions in Iraq with drones and rockets, while Washington has responded with waves of bombings against the armed group's positions.
