Kidnapped American journalist released by pro-Iran militia in Iraq
By Max Saltman, Eyad Kourdi, Kylie Atwood, CNN
(CNN) — An American journalist who was kidnapped by a pro-Iran militia in Baghdad has been released, a senior Iraqi government official told CNN on Tuesday.
The journalist, Shelly Kittleson, was received by the Iraqi government, which is currently processing her travel arrangements, the official added. He also stated that the government made extensive efforts to ensure her safety.
Kittleson, a reporter specializing in the Middle East, had been taken captive by Kataib Hezbollah, a pro-Iran militia in Iraq, last month.
On Tuesday, Kataib Hezbollah security chief Abu Mujahid al-Assaf said in a Telegram post that the group decided to release Kittleson “on the condition that she leave the country immediately.”
“This initiative will not be repeated again in the coming days,” the post concludes. “We are in a state of war waged by the Zionist-American enemy against Islam, and in such circumstances many considerations fall away.”
According to a source familiar with the matter, the US government had warned Kittleson shortly before her disappearance of a Kataib Hezbollah plot to kidnap or kill her. The warning came while she was already reporting in Iraq.
“The State Department previously fulfilled our duty to warn this individual of threats against them and we will continue to coordinate with the FBI to ensure their release as quickly as possible,” US Assistant Secretary of State Dylan Johnson said at the time, without elaborating on the threats.
The abduction sparked an operation from Iraqi security forces to track down those responsible and secure her release.
The US government was tracking the kidnapping and working with the Iraqis to secure her release, a US official said.
The US Embassy in Iraq has repeatedly warned US citizens to leave the country since the conflict with Iran began in late February, cautioning that Iranian-backed militias could attempt to kidnap Americans. “Do not travel to Iraq for any reason. Depart immediately if you are there,” the embassy said in its latest statement over the weekend.
After she was captured, Al-Monitor, a US-based news organization where Kittleson is a contributor, called 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,” the statement added.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and the Foley Foundation wrote a joint letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asking him to work on securing Kittleson’s release.
The CPJ urged Iraqi authorities to take “all necessary measures” to free Kittleson.
“The abduction of Shelly Kittleson in broad daylight reflects an alarming breach of journalists’ safety in Iraq that highlights the increased risk of reporting from the Middle East,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah.
The-CNN-Wire
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