An American journalist with links to major international outlets including the BBC has been kidnapped in Baghdad in what officials believe is an operation carried out by Iranian-backed militias.
The journalist, identified as Shelly Kittleson, was abducted on Tuesday in central Baghdad by armed men who intercepted her on a busy street before forcing her into a vehicle, according to Iraqi and US officials. Footage of her abduction is shown below.
Kittleson, a seasoned freelance reporter who has contributed to outlets such as the BBC, Politico, Foreign Policy and Al-Monitor, has spent years covering conflict zones across the Near East.
This is not the first time that Iranian proxy militias in Iraq kidnap Western journalists and researchers. In March 2023, an Iranian proxy militia kidnapped Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov and was released in September 2025.
Footage of her abduction below.
Newsroom
Leave a Reply