Journalist Shelly Kittleson Kidnapped in Baghdad

It's March 31st, I'm Cory with the story, and this is Durham News today, your AI-powered

local news.

An American journalist named Shelley Kiddelsen got kidnapped in Central Baghdad on Tuesday

and Iraqi security forces jumped into action right away, with a high-speed chase.

They spotted two cars used in the snatch, one flipped during the pursuit near Al-Haswa

and Babil Province, leading to one suspect in custody, and a vehicle seized, but the

second car sped off with her inside.

Al-Monitor, where she freelances, sounded the alarm, calling for her quick and safe release

while praising her key reporting from hotspots like Iraq and Syria.

The U.S. Embassy stayed quiet, but the State Department confirmed they're on it, stressing

American safety as top priority amid rising kidnapping, threats from Iran-backed militias.

Efforts continue with checkpoints locked down and intel pouring in, as this echoes past

grabs like that Princeton students last year, hoping Kiddelsen makes it home safe to

keep dropping truth bombs.