A senior Iraqi government official told CNN on Tuesday that an American journalist abducted by a pro-Iranian militia in Baghdad has been released.
Journalist Sherry Kittleson has been accepted by the Iraqi government and is currently making travel arrangements, officials added. He also said the government had made great efforts to ensure her safety.
Kittleson, a Middle East journalist, was captured last month by the pro-Iranian militia Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq.
On Tuesday, Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, Kataib Hezbollah’s security chief, said in a Telegram post that the group had decided to release Kittleson “on condition that he leave the country immediately.”
“This effort will not be repeated in the coming days,” the post concludes. “We are in a state of war waged by our enemy, the Zionist America, against Islam, and in such a situation many considerations disappear.”
Officials said the U.S. government had warned Kittleson shortly before her disappearance that Kataib Hezbollah was planning to kidnap or kill her. The warning came while she was already reporting in Iraq.
Assistant Secretary of State Dylan Johnson said at the time, “The State Department has previously fulfilled our obligation to alert you to threats against this individual and will continue to work with the FBI to ensure he is released as soon as possible,” without elaborating on the threats.
The abduction prompted Iraqi security forces to launch an operation to track down those responsible and secure her release.
The U.S. government is tracking the kidnapping and working with the Iraqis to secure her release, U.S. officials said.
The US embassy in Iraq has repeatedly warned US citizens to leave the country since the conflict with Iran began in late February, warning that Iranian-backed militias may attempt to kidnap Americans. “Please do not travel to Iraq for any reason. If you are in Iraq, please leave immediately,” the embassy said in its latest statement over the weekend.
After her arrest, Al-Monitor, a US news outlet in which Kittleson also writes, called for her “safe and immediate release”.
“We support her important reporting from the region and call for her prompt return to continue her important work,” the statement added.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and the Foley Foundation sent a joint letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to work to secure Kittleson’s release.
CPJ called on Iraqi authorities to take “all necessary measures” to free Kittleson.
“The abduction of Shelly Kittleson in broad daylight reflects an alarming violation of journalistic safety in Iraq and highlights the growing risks to reporting from the Middle East,” said Sarah Kuda, CPJ regional director.
