Iraqi group released kidnapped American journalist Jill Carroll

An American journalist, abducted in Baghdad by a group allied with Iran, was released on Tuesday after a week in captivity. This was reported by representatives of the group and two Iraqi security officials, according to UNN, citing NYT.

Details

The Kataib Hezbollah group stated in its announcement that it had released journalist Shelley Kittleson "in appreciation of the patriotic stance" of the Iraqi Prime Minister, who negotiated her release. The group said that Ms. Kittleson must leave Iraq immediately.

"This initiative will not be repeated in the future," emphasized a security commander from the group, known as Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, in a statement. "We are in a state of war waged by the Zionist-American enemy against Islam, and in such situations, many considerations are ignored."

Kataib Hezbollah, one of the most influential groups in Iraq, is closely linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Addendum

The abduction of 49-year-old Ms. Kittleson is the second abduction of a foreigner in Iraq. In 2023, the group abducted Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian graduate student, and held her hostage for more than two years, torturing her during captivity.

Kittleson, who has covered the Middle East for various media outlets for over a decade, was released in exchange for the release of several imprisoned members of Kataib Hezbollah, according to two Iraqi security officials. They requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations.

Her abduction triggered a search for the kidnappers by Iraqi security forces and efforts by the U.S. government to secure her release. A day after the abduction, Kataib Hezbollah offered to negotiate the journalist's release in exchange for the Iraqi government releasing several detained members of the group.

Concerns are growing in the U.S. about Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq. In March, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad urged all American citizens to leave Iraq immediately, citing attacks on civilian targets and government buildings belonging to the United States and its regional allies.