An Iran-backed militia, Kataib Hezbollah, has announced it will release US freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped a week ago in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. A security official for the group, Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, stated: “In recognition of the national stances of the outgoing prime minister, we have decided to release the American defendant Shelly Kittleson.” Kittleson was taken on March 31, and her release is conditioned on her immediately leaving Iraq.
The New York Times and Associated Press reported, citing Iraqi officials, that Kittleson was released on Tuesday, though her current location remains unclear. At the time of the abduction, the Iraqi government said security forces chased the suspects, leading to one of the kidnappers' cars overturning and the arrest of one person. Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa al-Sudani ordered security forces to pursue those responsible for abducting foreigners.
In a separate post, Assaf said the group would release a recording showing Kittleson's “role and activities in Iraq,” without providing further details. The abduction occurred amid ongoing attacks by Iran and its allied Iraqi Shia militias on US-associated targets across Iraq and the region since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Kittleson's friend and emergency contact, CNN national security analyst Alex Plitsas, said he had seen the “alleged statement” about her release but added “we have no official confirmation from the United States government that this is true.”
It is understood that US officials had contacted Kittleson several times before her kidnapping to warn of threats against her. Plitsas previously told CBS that Kittleson had been warned by the US government about a specific threat from Iran-backed paramilitaries. He said Kittleson had been told her name was on a list in the possession of Kataib Hezbollah, which was said to be plotting to kidnap or kill female journalists.
Kittleson, based in Rome, Italy, has covered conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. According to her bio on X, she has worked for numerous publications. The US State Department has warned citizens not to travel to Iraq.
Source: www.bbc.com