US journalist Shelly Kittleson kidnapped in Baghdad

BBC News
March 31, 2026
3 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

U.S. journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Baghdad; State Department attributes suspect to Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah.

AI Summary

US journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Baghdad, according to the State Department, which identified a suspect with ties to Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia group. The abduction marks a significant security incident for American personnel in Iraq, where US military advisors and diplomats operate despite persistent threats from Iranian-aligned factions. Kataib Hezbollah has conducted previous attacks on US interests in Iraq and has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. The case underscores the dangers journalists face in Iraq and the broader tensions between the US and Iranian-backed groups operating in the country. The State Department's attribution to an Iran-backed militia suggests potential state-level complications in securing her release.

Source Coverage Map

14 of 43 tracked sources covered this story

33% coverage
Did Not Cover (29)
ICIJ97AP World News96AP US News96ProPublica95Bellingcat95+24 more

Following this story?

Get notified when new coverage appears

Should this be getting more attention?

You Might Have Missed

Related stories from different sources and perspectives

The top photos of the day by AP’s photojournalists - AP News
Global

The top photos of the day by AP’s photojournalists - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqwFBVV95cUxOVWNMeEtRXzg0ZUpxUzgtU3djZnZtWGdxUDVNdzI2czFtNjFZazl4a0dpRGpMTXB3Sm5hRy1Jel9jZHlHVUZ2eUlnbEJSZlJ2ckZZR0dRa1RfTFVSb21LaU5rYjZFR1FCU1NaZUx1NkIzOHR0OUVtcklkQWY3eTJORVljXzJ2THRVWkY3VHpwLXBSMWJDbG9KcF9NY0V0SWVCWUp2cnZwVzFLNEk?oc=5" target="_blank">The top photos of the day by AP’s photojournalists</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsMar 26
Russia says it will expel Dutch journalist in tit-for-tat move - reuters.com
Global

Russia says it will expel Dutch journalist in tit-for-tat move - reuters.com

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijAFBVV95cUxPdWowWlQzdy02NV9nb3FfNXlJdkllNUF0MzJSeUtHWThVakFPd1dDM0hsTk55aE1tOWlqR0duV09qVHhqZjQzNEUwS0I4YXRIdGxiVG16al8xMHhYX1U4RDNZNDNLdlhhVkNWN0EwaUpiQk1tTDh4Sk1HS2hVbjZGTF92eXU3ZWt4c1JxMA?oc=5" target="_blank">Russia says it will expel Dutch journalist in tit-for-tat move</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">reuters.com</font>

reuters.comApr 1
Sister recounts 903-day fight to free sibling kidnapped in Iraq
Civil Rights

Sister recounts 903-day fight to free sibling kidnapped in Iraq

When Princeton graduate student Elizabeth Tsurkov was kidnapped off the street in Iraq in March 2023 and held for ransom by a militia, it set off a 903-day fight her sister never expected.

CBS NewsMar 29
Florida axes sociology as required class at state universities in latest attack on ‘woke’
Politics

Florida axes sociology as required class at state universities in latest attack on ‘woke’

<p>Move by state education officials picked by Republican governor removes the course as a graduation component</p><p>Education leaders in Florida have removed <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/18/florida-colleges-push-back-race-gender-restrictions">sociology</a> as a graduation component at state universities in Republican governor Ron DeSantis’s latest attack on what he sees as the “woke” indoctrination of students.</p><p>The move on Thursday by a majority of DeSantis’s hand-picked university board of governors effectively relegates the stand-alone Introduction to Sociology course to a makeweight elective instead of a core component subject that has been a popular choice for generations of students.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/27/florida-sociology-university-class">Continue reading...</a>

The Guardian US NewsMar 27
‘Paradox’ for journalists in Lebanon: ‘High press freedom, extremely low safety preparedness'
Civil Rights

‘Paradox’ for journalists in Lebanon: ‘High press freedom, extremely low safety preparedness'

Haxie Meyers-Belkin is pleased to welcome Ayman Mhanna, Executive Director of the Beirut-based Samir Kassir Foundation. He describes a media landscape in which expressive freedom coexists with insecurity. The conditions necessary to protect journalists remain dangerously insufficient, particularly in war zones, where targeting the press has become normalised. Mhanna sees tension within Lebanese society, between enduring traditions of solidarity and a rising tide of polarisation. If left unchecked, this internal fragmentation risks becoming more damaging than the conflict that provoked it.

AFP / France 24Mar 27
See the world in vertical: Top photos by AP photojournalists - AP News
Technology

See the world in vertical: Top photos by AP photojournalists - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqAFBVV95cUxNNk0wVF9naFdXNzVUa1BjTFpQVzlQcTI5amF5UUtQSVBqdGljR0xpaG43aGFZSGRnR3RyZzE3TU9QdWdOM1JzWEZDQm5tNzlYSHlfQk5rbWJ0c1M3QnNpZU5fa0FoOS1QWG9DRkpUc2FQRHNRdXQ1OVNkNkJlMHp4QTMwQlVCaE5BS3RBaUk1RGJ4WkJCb21HM3ItYzN0bThYNDQ0X21VSEU?oc=5" target="_blank">See the world in vertical: Top photos by AP photojournalists</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsApr 1
Read Next
Trump: U.S. will bomb Iran "back to stone ages" over next 2-3 weeks
Global

Trump: U.S. will bomb Iran "back to stone ages" over next 2-3 weeks

<p>President Trump said in a prime time address that the U.S. was close to ending its war in <a href="https://www.axios.com/world/iran" target="_blank">Iran</a> but would spend the next two to three weeks bombing the country "back to the stone ages."</p><p><strong>The big picture:</strong> Trump said that if a deal to end the war cannot be reached, the U.S. would bomb all of Iran's power plants and its <a href="https://www.axios.com/energy-climate/oil-companies" target="_blank">oil </a>fields, moves that would have devastating consequences for Iran's civilian population and the future of the country, while likely inciting retaliation on America's allies in the region.</p><hr><ul><li>The threat is likely in part an attempt to convince Iran's leaders to agree to a deal. </li><li>The U.S. has told <a href="https://www.axios.com/world/iran" target="_blank">Iran</a>, through mediators, that it is interested in a ceasefire in exchange for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.</li><li>But...

Continue reading

Did this story change how you see things?

Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.

Share this story

Get the daily digest

Save for later

The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.

See our sources