An American journalist known for her extensive coverage of the Middle East has been reportedly kidnapped in Baghdad, Iraq. Disturbing surveillance footage has emerged, showing armed individuals forcibly placing her into a vehicle.
Shelly Kittleson, a 49-year-old journalist from Monticello, Wisconsin, was abducted on Tuesday, according to confirmation from Al-Monitor, the independent media organization she writes for.
Currently residing in Rome, Italy, Kittleson has a history of reporting from conflict zones, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, bringing critical stories to the forefront.
Local media shared video footage on X that appears to capture the moment Kittleson was taken by armed men as she was stopped at a busy Baghdad intersection.
Reports indicate that the abduction occurred near the Baghdad Hotel, a location close to the highly fortified Green Zone.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry reported that authorities intercepted a vehicle suspected to be involved in the kidnapping. The vehicle overturned while the suspects attempted to flee.
However, the freelance journalist was not in the vehicle, and her current whereabouts are unknown.
Trump administration sources have confirmed that they were aware of the threat against Kittleson and had advised her against traveling to Iraq, Al-Monitor reported.
The State Department is working with Iraqi authorities to try to secure her release, a US official told the outlet.
No further details have been released by Kittleson’s abductors, and no ransom demands have been made public.
