Iraqi Forces Pursue Kidnappers of Abducted Treasure Coast Journalist

An American freelance journalist was kidnapped Tuesday in central Baghdad, with Iraqi security forces launching a pursuit operation that resulted in one arrest but left her captors largely at large, Iraqi officials said.

The journalist was identified as Shelly Kittleson, a longtime regional freelancer, by Al-Monitor, a Middle East news site she contributed to. The Iraqi Interior Ministry confirmed in a statement that a foreign journalist had been abducted but did not identify her by name. Two Iraqi security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly, confirmed the kidnapped journalist was an American woman.

The kidnapping occurred on Saadoun Street in central Baghdad. Authorities circulated alerts to checkpoints as the captors headed southwest toward Babil province. One of two vehicles involved in the abduction overturned during a pursuit near the town of Al-Haswa. One suspect was arrested and that vehicle was seized. Kittleson was transferred to a second vehicle that escaped, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said. The ministry added that forces were operating on "precise intelligence" through "intensive field operations."

Al-Monitor said it was "deeply alarmed" by the kidnapping. "We call for her safe and immediate release," the publication said in a statement. "We stand by her vital reporting from the region and call for her swift return to continue her important work."

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad declined to comment. The U.S. State Department issued a statement saying, "The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans." The department added it was "tracking these reports" but cited "privacy and other considerations" for offering nothing further.

It was not immediately clear whether the kidnapping was connected to Iran-backed militia activity in Iraq, which has intensified since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The U.S. Embassy had previously warned American citizens of kidnapping risks and urged them to leave the country. A previous high-profile case involved Princeton graduate student Elizabeth Tsurkov, who disappeared in Baghdad in 2023 and was freed in September 2025 after being held by the Iran-allied militia Kataib Hezbollah.

The State Department's active Travel Advisory for Iraq — at its highest Level 4: Do Not Travel designation — applies to all U.S. citizens. Residents with family members working or traveling in Iraq are advised to contact the State Department's American Citizens Services line at 1-888-407-4747. No update on Kittleson's whereabouts had been issued as of Tuesday evening, and the Iraqi security operation remained ongoing.

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