By Omar Abdulkader and Cara Tabachnick
Updated March 31, 2026 — CBS News
Washington — American journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Baghdad on Tuesday, according to two people familiar with the situation and an Iraqi official.
Iraq’s Interior Ministry said a foreign journalist was seized by unknown individuals and that security forces had arrested one suspect and recovered the vehicle used in the abduction.
Alex Plitsas, Kittleson’s designated U.S. point of contact and a CNN national security analyst, confirmed to CBS News that she had been taken. Plitsas said the U.S. government had warned Kittleson about a specific threat from the Iranian‑backed militia Kata’ib Hezbollah, which allegedly sought to kidnap or kill female journalists, and that Kittleson had been told her name appeared on a list the group held. A second source said Kittleson received warnings but believed some of the intelligence might be false. U.S. officials said she had received multiple warnings, including as recently as Monday night.
Dylan Johnson, an assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, posted that the suspect detained by Iraqi authorities had ties to Kata’ib Hezbollah. Johnson said the State Department had earlier fulfilled its duty to warn Kittleson of threats and that it would continue coordinating with the FBI to secure a speedy release.
An Iraqi official told CBS News authorities were working “at the highest level” to obtain Kittleson’s release. U.S. agencies and partners involved in consultations on the case include the FBI, the National Security Council, the State Department, U.S. special operations units and the Iraqi Counter‑Terrorism Service.
Kiran Nazish, founder and director of the Coalition for Women in Journalism, said she had been in contact with Kittleson on Thursday prior to Kittleson’s travel to Baghdad. Nazish said Kittleson planned to stay with a local family who had reassured her they would keep her safe. Nazish added that Kittleson had been advised not to travel but chose to proceed, citing prior reporting experience in Iraq and Syria. Kittleson, who is Italian American, lives in Rome and has spent time reporting from Istanbul.
Al‑Monitor, for which Kittleson freelances, issued a statement calling for her immediate and safe release and praising her regional reporting. The FBI declined to comment, and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
On March 29, the U.S. Embassy in Iraq warned that Iran and affiliated militias might target American universities in Baghdad and other cities and advised U.S. citizens to leave Iraq for their safety.