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Kataib Hezbollah Frees U.S. Journalist Shelly Kittleson After Baghdad Abduction

The conditional release underscores the clout Iran-aligned militias wield over Iraq’s security apparatus.

A street view shows the street corner in central Baghdad's Saadoun Street where U.S. journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in central Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, April 1 2026. (AP Photo/ Hadi Mizban)
U.S. journalist Shelly Kittleson poses for a photo, March 25, 2025, in a cafe in Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo)
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Overview

  • Shelly Kittleson has been released and Iraqi authorities are arranging her departure from the country, according to officials and U.S. statements.
  • Kataib Hezbollah said it freed her in recognition of outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and insisted she leave Iraq immediately.
  • Reports from the Associated Press and other observers say the outcome followed talks about militia detainees, with possible releases on the militia side not fully detailed.
  • Kittleson was taken on March 31 from a busy street in central Baghdad after which security forces chased the kidnappers, a car flipped, and one suspect was arrested.
  • The case spotlights the risks for freelance reporters in Iraq as an Iran-backed militia designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. uses abductions to gain leverage.