Kataeb Hezbollah Announces Release of Kidnapped U.S. Journalist in Baghdad
“In recognition of the national stances of the outgoing prime minister, we have decided to release the American defendant Shelly Kittleson, on the condition that she leaves the country immediately,” said Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, a security official within the Iran-backed group.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – An armed faction in Iraq, Kataeb Hezbollah, announced Tuesday that it will release American journalist Shelly Kittleson, one week after she was abducted in the capital, Baghdad.
“In recognition of the national stances of the outgoing prime minister, we have decided to release the American defendant Shelly Kittleson, on the condition that she leaves the country immediately,” said Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, a security official within the Iran-backed group, in a brief statement.
He described the move as an exceptional gesture that “will not be repeated,” adding that the group considers itself in a state of war against what he called a “Zionist-American enemy,” suggesting that similar considerations may not apply in the future.
United States officials said the suspect was believed to be linked to Kataeb Hezbollah, which Washington has designated as a blacklisted organization.
The U.S. Department of State did not officially name Kittleson, but media advocacy groups and one of her affiliated outlets confirmed her identity.
The incident echoes a previous high-profile case involving Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was abducted in Baghdad in 2023 and held for two years before being released last year.