The United States government reported this Tuesday (31) that it is coordinating with the FBI actions to locate and release an American journalist who was kidnapped in Baghdad, Iraq. The journalist’s abduction was confirmed by the State Department following initial reports from Iraqi authorities.
The State Department’s Undersecretary for Global Affairs, Dylan Johnson, stated that Washington had already alerted the journalist – identified by the American broadcaster CNN by the name of Shelly Kittleson – about the possibility of threats and even a possible kidnapping days before the incident.
“The State Department has already fulfilled its duty to warn this person of the risks and will continue to coordinate with the FBI to ensure his release as quickly as possible,” he said in a publication on the X network.
According to the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, the journalist was kidnapped by unidentified individuals at that time in the country’s capital. Security forces began a pursuit of the vehicle used by the kidnappers, which ended up overturning during their escape.
According to Iraqi authorities, one of those involved was arrested and one of the vehicles used in the crime was seized. Operations continue to locate the remaining suspects and secure the journalist’s release.
According to Johnson, one of the detained hijackers is linked to the Kataib Hezbollah group, one of the terrorist organizations operating in Iraq and aligned with Iran. The organization has already been accused of carrying out several attacks against American targets in the region.
Sources told the international press that the journalist had in fact recently been warned by the US government about risks of kidnapping or attacks, including possible threats attributed to groups supported by Tehran.
The United States embassy in Baghdad reported that Iraq remains under maximum security alert and reiterated its guidance for American citizens not to travel to the country. In a statement, the diplomatic mission highlighted that those who choose to remain in Iraqi territory do so under “significant risk”.
