US journalist kidnapped in Iraq, security forces hunt captors, officials say

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FILE - The US embassy headquarters in Iraq is pictured in Baghdad's fortified "Green Zone" on March 8, 2026. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP via Getty Images)

An American journalist was kidnapped in Iraq on Tuesday, officials said. 

Iraqi security forces are working to find her captors. 

Dig deeper:

The Iraqi interior ministry said in a statement that a foreign journalist had been kidnapped, without giving more details about the journalist.

Two Iraqi security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case, told The Associated Press that the kidnapped journalist was a woman with U.S. citizenship.

What we know:

Two cars were involved in the kidnapping, one of which crashed and was apprehended while being pursued.

The crash happened near the town of Al-Haswa in Babil province southwest of Baghdad.

The journalist, identified by the Al-Monitor news organization as Shelly Kittleson, according to an NPR report, was then transferred into a second car that fled the scene.

One suspect was arrested and the crashed vehicle was seized.

What we don't know:

It was not immediately clear if the kidnapping was related to the ongoing regional war, but Iran-backed militias in Iraq have launched regular attacks on U.S. facilities in the country since the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Trump administration responds

What they're saying:

The U.S. State Department said in a statement, "The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans. We are closely tracking these reports. Due to privacy and other considerations, we have nothing further to share at this time."

Who is Shelly Kittleson? 

The backstory:

Kittleson is an award-winning Rome-based freelance journalist who has covered news in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. 

Al-Monitor called for Kittleson, a freelance contributor, to be released immediately. 

"We are deeply alarmed by the kidnapping of Al-Monitor contributor Shelly Kittleson in Iraq on Tuesday. We call for her safe and immediate release. We stand by her vital reporting from the region and call for her swift return to continue her important work," Al-Monitor said in a statement.