An American journalist was kidnapped in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Tuesday, March 31 adding to a growing number of attacks on journalists across the globe.
Shelly Kittleson, 49, had freelanced in the region for more than a decade, writing for a slew of publications from Al-Monitor to Italy’s Il Foglio and Politico.
Iraq’s Interior Ministry says the journalist was abducted in central Baghdad and forced into a car. Security forces captured one suspect, as well as one of the vehicles used, according to a statement by the ministry. The rest of those responsible remain at large – and Kittleson’s location unknown.
Unfortunately, her story is far from unique..
Last year, seven journalists went missing while reporting, and 129 were killed per CPJ – more than the organization has recorded in its more than three decades of data collection. The uptick follows what the organization has described as a “continued failure of government leaders to protect the press or hold their attackers to account.” Where investigations have happened, CPJ said, transparency and culpability have been lacking. In response, they’ve called for sanctions against guilty countries and an international taskforce to investigate journalists’ killings – so far to no avail.
In Kittleson’s case, U.S. officials believe she was targeted by individuals associated with the Iranian-backed militia group Kataib Hezbollah.
Dylan Johnson, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for global affairs, said Tuesday via X that the State Department had previously made Kittleson aware of threats against her and vowed that the department would “coordinate with the FBI to ensure their release as quickly as possible.”
Meanwhile, the search for Kittleson – and for all missing journalists – continues.