Shelly Kittleson

Shelly Kittleson is a US freelance journalist based in Rome who has covered several wars in the region and has contributed to outlets like BBC World Service, Politico, and Foreign Policy. She received the Premio Caravella award in 2017 for her work. Kittleson is newsworthy because she was abducted in Baghdad in late March by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi armed group aligned with Iran. The group announced her release in early April, stating she must leave Iraq immediately. Her release was confirmed by Iraqi officials and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who thanked the Department of War and the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council for their assistance. The incident highlights the risks faced by journalists in Iraq and the influence of pro-Iranian militias in the region, prompting warnings from the US government about the growing risks to US citizens in Iraq.