American female journalist openly kidnapped: goons forcibly put her in the car on the middle of the road

Baghdad: Iraq’s capital Baghdad is once again under the shadow of unrest and insecurity. What happened in one of the busiest areas of the city has not only raised questions on Iraq’s security system, but has also shaken the international media world. Shelly Kittelson, an American freelance journalist, was kidnapped in broad daylight here on Tuesday. The shocking thing is that this incident happened when she was in a crowded area like Al-Sadoon Street.

It is being told that Shelly Kittelson was present near the Baghdad Hotel when some unknown assailants attacked her. A video of this entire incident is also going viral on social media. It can be clearly seen in the video how fearless the kidnappers were; They forcibly caught hold of Shaili and dragged her inside a vehicle. Shaili also tried to save herself, but she was no match for the strength of the attackers and they overpowered her.

Horrific incident captured in video

The video that surfaced on social media has created panic among local people and foreign embassies. In fact, the Al-Saadoon area of ​​Baghdad is considered quite safe, but the kidnapping of a foreign citizen from there indicates a major security lapse. Based on eyewitnesses and video footage, Iraq’s Interior Ministry has also confirmed the incident. Although initially the ministry did not reveal the identity of the journalist due to security reasons, it later became clear that the victim was Shelly Kittelson.

An official statement issued by the Iraqi Interior Ministry said that security forces have been put on high alert as soon as information about the kidnapping of a foreign journalist was received. The area has been cordoned off and a search operation is being conducted to find the suspects. In fact, the conditions for foreign journalists in Iraq have always been challenging, but the situation here seemed to be improving for some time, which has been spoiled by this incident.

American Embassy had warned not to go to Iraq

A big aspect behind this entire incident is that Shelly Kittelson was warned in advance. According to the news website ‘Al-Monitor’, for which Shaili has frequently reported, the US government had advised her not to travel to Iraq citing security reasons. The US Embassy in Iraq frequently issues travel advisories for its citizens, citing the threat of kidnappings and terrorist attacks. Shelly probably ignored this warning because of her reporting commitments, which have now become too heavy for her.

Reporting from the battlefield has been recognized.

Shelly Kittleson is no ordinary journalist; He is recognized as a fearless war reporter. She has been covering news from the Middle East, especially the war-torn areas of Iraq and Syria, for years. For his bravery and dedication towards journalism, he has also been awarded the prestigious ‘Premio Caravella Award’ in the year 2017. She has been working continuously for prestigious websites like Al-Monitor and her reports have made the world aware of the ground situation in Iraq.

At present, American diplomats posted in Baghdad and Iraqi intelligence agencies are trying to trace Shaili’s location. So far no organization has claimed responsibility for this kidnapping, which has made the matter even more complicated. Local security experts believe that this could be a conspiracy by a ransom-demanding gang or a radical group. Now all eyes are on the Iraqi government to see how soon they can bring this senior journalist back safely.