Search ongoing for American journalist kidnapped in Baghdad: Iraq's interior ministry
The journalist, Shelly Kittleson, is a contributor to Al-Monitor.
An American journalist working as a freelancer in Baghdad was kidnapped on Tuesday, according to a statement from Iraq's interior ministry and two State Department officials familiar with the matter.
Efforts are ongoing to locate the journalist, Shelly Kittleson, 49, after she was abducted in a vehicle, according to Iraq's interior ministry. She is a contributor to Al-Monitor, a regional news site covering the Middle East.
In a security camera recording verified by ABC News and confirmed by Iraq's interior ministry to show the moment Kittleson was kidnapped, the journalist is seen standing on a sidewalk as a silver car approaches before being pushed toward the car, which then quickly speeds away.
One suspect alleged to be involved in the kidnapping has been arrested, according to Iraq's interior ministry.
Security forces had tracked the kidnappers, and their vehicle overturned during a pursuit, leading to the suspect's arrest, according to the ministry.
The individual taken into custody has ties to the Iranian-aligned militia group Kataib Hezbollah, according to Dylan Johnson, assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs for the State Department.
The State Department had warned the journalist about threats against her, according to Johnson.
Kittleson was contacted multiple times with warnings of the threats, including as late as Monday night, according to a U.S. official. No details about the nature of the threat she was warned about have been shared.
A State Department official advised that the department was in contact with Iraqi authorities on the matter and is actively working with them to investigate Kittleson's disappearance.
The State Department "will continue to coordinate with the FBI to ensure their release as quickly as possible," Johnson said in a statement on X on Tuesday.
FBI agents met with Kittleson's family on Wednesday, according to a U.S. official, who did not disclose details of the visit.
Al-Monitor called for Kittleson's "safe and immediate release."
"We are deeply alarmed by the kidnapping of Al-Monitor contributor Shelly Kittleson in Iraq on Tuesday," the publication said in a statement. "We stand by her vital reporting from the region and call for her swift return to continue her important work."
A native of Wisconsin, Kittleson moved to Italy at the age of 19, where she attended school and worked as a nanny, her mother, Barb Kittleson, told the Associated Press. She said her daughter spent about 10 years in Italy before eventually settling in Iraq.
Barb Kittleson said she and her daughter exchanged emails on Monday, when her daughter sent her a couple of new photos of herself.
Kittleson specializes in the Middle East and Afghanistan and is currently based in Rome, according to Al-Monitor. She has also reported for outlets including Foreign Policy, Politico and BBC World Service.
The State Department advises all Americans not to travel to Iraq "for any reason" and to leave now, Johnson said.
ABC News' Lena Camilletti and Shannon Kingston contributed to this report.
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