What to know about the American journalist kidnapped in Iraq

Shelly Kittleson, a U.S. citizen and journalist who has worked for more than a decade covering the Middle East, was kidnapped by an extremist group in Iraq this week, American and Iraqi officials said.

Kittleson’s kidnapping comes at a time of heightened tensions across the region following President Trump’s order to U.S. forces to attack Iran and its proxies in the region.

Conditions on the ground in the surrounding areas are growing increasingly dangerous for journalists covering the fighting and Kittleson’s kidnapping is being seen as a flashpoint for press freedom.

Here’s what to know about Kittleson’s abduction:

Kittleson is believed to have been kidnapped by Hezbollah

Kittleson was kidnapped from a street in the Iraqi capital Tuesday and remains missing as of midday Wednesday.

She had entered Baghdad just days earlier and was staying in a hotel in the city. Al-Monitor, a Washington-based media outlet where Kittleson recently performed work, said she was not on assignment at the time of her kidnapping.

Iraqi security forces pursued her captors and arrested one suspect after the car he was driving crashed, but others in the kidnapping group were able to escape with the journalist in a second car.

Officials believe Kittleson was taken by Kataib Hezbollah, a terrorist group linked to Iran that has a history of abducting foreign nationals and holding them for ransom.

Kittleson had reportedly been made aware by intelligence officials of threats against her by the group, including just hours before she was captured.

Kittleson tried to enter Iraq weeks ago

The........

© The Hill