A Wisconsin journalist who works in the Middle East was kidnapped in Iraq on March 31, according to government and media reports.
A piece in the April 2, 2026 issue of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel detailed the reports. According to the story:
Federal and Iraqi state officials reported an Iranian-aligned militia group was involved in the kidnapping of the Mount Horeb journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was abducted in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. Shelly’s mother, Barb, told the Journal Sentinel about the abduction on April 1.
“She just wanted to help people,” Barb Kittleson said. “She’s just a journalist.”
US Senator Tammy Baldwin is aware of Kittleson’s kidnapping and has contacted the State Department and FBI for information about steps being taken to expedite her return.
American officials said it was believed the Iranian-aligned militia group Kataib Hizballah was involved in the kidnapping, and that Iraqi authorities arrested one person connected to the kidnapping. American officials had previously warned Kittleson about threats against her, according to a social media post from Dylan Johnson, a US State Department senior official.
“We will continue to coordinate with the FBI to ensure their release as soon as possible,” Johnson said.
Baldwin issued an email statement to the Journal Sentinel saying she is pushing the Trump Administration to bring Kittleson home as soon as possible.
Iraq’s Ministry of Interior confirmed the kidnapping in a Facebook post.
Kittleson has worked in the Middle East as a freelance reporter since 2010, according to her public LinkedIn profile, which says she has worked for Al Malala since January 2023 as a freelance journalist. Other social media profiles show she has worked for publications including BBC World Service and Politico.
Kittleson lived in Mount Horeb with her family and attended Darlington High School.
“She just likes to help people and that’s her passion,” Shelly’s mother, Barb, said.
The Committee to Protect Journalists urged Iraqi authorities to “take all necessary measures to secure” Kittleson’s release.
Al-Monitor, the news organization who identified Kittleson in a statement, said it was “deeply alarmed” by her kidnapping and called for her immediate release.
The Iran War is heightening tension and creating danger for those there, according to Liz Richards, director of hostage advocacy and research at the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation which advocates for American hostages and international journalist safety.
“Reporters need to be able to move about the world freely and in a safe manner to tell stories,” Richards said. “It is always on the captor when someone is taken.”
