A foreign journalist has been kidnapped in Iraq’s capital city by a suspected Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, according to US officials. The missing journalist has been identified as Shelly Kittleson, a freelance reporter based in Rome with experience covering conflicts in the Middle East.
Kittleson was allegedly seized by four men in civilian clothes and taken away in a vehicle. It is currently unclear if the kidnapping is connected to the ongoing war, though Iran-backed militias in Iraq have frequently targeted US facilities.
Iraq’s Ministry of Interior reports that one suspect has been arrested and a vehicle used in the kidnapping has been seized, with others still at large. Advocacy groups and news organizations, including Al-Monitor, have called for Kittleson’s safe and immediate release.