American journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped Tuesday in Baghdad, Iraq – possibly by Iran-backed militants – but is said to have been rescued after her abductors’ car flipped during an exchange of gunfire with authorities.
Conflict Alarm reports: “U.S. Journalist Shelly Kittleson has been rescued by Iraqi Security Forces after being kidnapped by Kataib Hezbollah militants in central Baghdad. The kidnappers were heading toward Jurf al-Sakhar when their vehicle overturned during a pursuit with an exchange of fire. Kittleson is wounded and hospitalized.”
BREAKING: U.S. Journalist Shelly Kittleson has been rescued by Iraqi Security Forces after being kidnapped by Kataib Hezbollah militants in central Baghdad. The kidnappers were heading toward Jurf al-Sakhar when their vehicle overturned during a pursuit with an exchange of fire.… pic.twitter.com/O96dEbfcQs
— Conflict Alarm (@ConflictAlarm) March 31, 2026
The Associated Press reports: “Two Iraqi security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case, said the kidnapped journalist was a woman with U.S. citizenship.
“They said that two cars were involved in the kidnapping, one of which crashed and was apprehended while being pursued by authorities near the town of Al-Haswa in Babil province southwest of Baghdad, and the journalist was transferred to a second car that fled the scene.
“The interior ministry said that security forces had launched an operation to track down the kidnappers, ‘acting on precise intelligence and through intensive field operations’ after intercepting a vehicle belonging to the kidnappers that overturned as they tried to flee.”
— Esam79 (@Esam793) March 31, 2026
Iraqi Interior Ministry said American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped by unidentified armed men (Iranian backed militias) in central Baghdad & that during a pursuit the vehicle belonging to the kidnappers was intercepted which overturned as they… https://t.co/cOAwUZn6hq pic.twitter.com/ciUo05iUbF
— Saad Abedine (@SaadAbedine) March 31, 2026
The U.S. State Department said: “The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans. We are closing tracking these reports. Due to privacy and other considerations, we have nothing further to share at this time.”
American journalist Shelly Kittleson has been kidnapped in Iraq according to two sources including her designated point of contact @alexplitsas. State Department official provides below comment:
•The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of… https://t.co/2WRJK1ffo0— Margaret Brennan (@margbrennan) March 31, 2026
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