US journalist Shelly Kittleson kidnapped in Iraq

U.S. journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Baghdad, Iraq. This was confirmed to CBS News by Alex Plitsas, Kittleson's designated U.S. contact and CNN national security analyst. Kittleson has been working as a freelancer in the Middle East for years.

At this time, the origin or motivations of the hijackers, who acted in broad daylight, are unknown. Two sources who spoke to The Associated Press noted that the kidnapping took place in downtown Baghdad, more precisely on Saadoun Street. "They added that an alert was circulated to all checkpoints, leading to a pursuit of the kidnappers as they headed southwest of Baghdad toward Babil province," the cited media outlet explained.

"The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans. Due to privacy and other considerations, we have nothing further to share at this time," the State Department said in a statement.

In turn, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior reported the deployment of an operation to locate the kidnappers, "acting on precise intelligence and through intensive field operations." Indeed, a suspect has already been arrested after the fact and a vehicle was seized.

Since the beginning of the war with Iran, the U.S. Embassy had warned U.S. citizens about staying in the Middle East, specifically warning about the possibility of kidnappings.

Al-Monitor, a regional news portal covering the Middle East for which Kittleson contributes, issued a statement calling for her immediate release: "We call 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."

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