American journalist Shelly Kittleson has been freed after an Iran-aligned terrorist group kidnapped her in Baghdad, Iraq.
The terrorist group, called Kataib Hezbollah announced on Monday that released Kittleson “in appreciation of the patriotic positions” of Iraq’s prime minister, according to The Associated Press.
American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped from a Baghdad street corner last week, has been released, an Iraqi official with direct knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday.
Kittleson was freed in the afternoon, said the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly. He did not share her current whereabouts but said that prior to her release, she had been held in Baghdad.
American journalist Shelly Kittleson is FREE.
— Hostage Aid Worldwide (@HostageAid) April 8, 2026
After a week of being held hostage in Iraq, she has been released, & her family, colleagues & loved ones can breathe again.
Hostage Aid is overjoyed with this news & wishes @shellykittleson all the best after her ordeal.… pic.twitter.com/NwFgsGbnmp
The powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement earlier in the day it had decided to free Kittleson, who was abducted on March 31.
The group said its decision came “in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing prime minister,” Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details. It added that “this initiative will not be repeated in the future.”
The statement added a condition — that Kittleson must “leave the country immediately” upon her release.
The journalist’s release comes after negotiations between Iraqi and U.S. officials about detained militia members.
The kidnapping occurred when Kittleson, 49, was walking on a crowded street in central Baghdad. Iraqi security forces pursued the kidnappers’ vehicles and one of them flipped over during the chase. The authorities arrested the individual driving the vehicle.
Breaking
— Rafid Jaboori رافد جبّوري (@RafidFJ) April 7, 2026
Kidnapped American journalist released in Iraq
The pro-Iran Kata’eb Hezbollah militia releases Shelly Kittleson, who was abducted in broad daylight in Baghdad a week ago,
in exchange for releasing militia detainees held by the government for attacking U.S. targets
The kidnapping triggered a manhunt with Iraqi security units and U.S. officials involved in the mission to find her, The New York Times reported.
Kataib Hezbollah is an Iran-supported militia group operating in Iraq. It is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces and has been designated a terrorist group by the United States after attacks on American troops.
The group launched rocket and drone strikes on U.S. targets. Washington considers the organization as one of Iran’s most important proxy groups in Iraq. While the group said it released the journalist as a show of good faith, “This initiative will not be repeated in the future” and “We are engaged in a way initiated by the Zionist-American adversary against Islam, and in such scenarios, many factors are overlooked.”
Kittleson is a veteran freelance reporter from Wisconsin. She has spent years covering conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and other areas in the Middle East. She has contributed to multiple outlets.