Footage has emerged appearing to show United States journalist Shelly Kittleson being kidnapped in central Baghdad on 31 March. The video shows two men approaching her on Saadoun Street, forcing her into a vehicle after a brief struggle before speeding away. Iraqi officials said two cars were involved, with one later crashing during a pursuit while the other fled with Ms Kittleson.

Authorities have arrested one suspect and launched a security operation to locate the journalist and those responsible. Iraqi officials said alerts were sent to checkpoints and that efforts are ongoing based on what they described as precise intelligence. It remains unclear whether the abduction is linked to the broader regional conflict.

Ms Kittleson is an award-winning freelance reporter with more than 15 years of experience covering the Middle East, contributing to several international publications. One outlet she worked with said it was deeply alarmed and called for her safe and immediate release. The United States State Department said it was aware of the incident and is coordinating efforts to secure her release, while reiterating its warning that Americans should not travel to Iraq.