Iraq: American journalist Shelly Kittleson has been released

Baghdad (Iraq), 7 April (LaPresse/AP) – American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped last week in Baghdad, has been released. An Iraqi official, speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed this, explaining that the reporter was released this afternoon. The official did not reveal her current whereabouts, but said that prior to her release she had been held in Baghdad. The Iranian-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah had previously stated that it had decided to release Kittleson, who was abducted on 31 March, explaining that the journalist was to ‘leave the country immediately’ upon her release. Two militia officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly, told the AP that in exchange for the reporter’s release, several members of the group previously detained by the Iraqi authorities would be released.