اختطاف صحفية أمريكية في العراق بعد تلقيها تهديدات من جماعات موالية لإيران

Shelley Kettleson, an American journalist, was kidnapped in central Baghdad on Saadoun Street near a hotel during daylight hours. The incident was captured on video and circulated on social media, showing several men forcing her into a car on a crowded street. Iraqi authorities, working with multiple agencies including the Federal Investigations Office, National Security Council, US State Department, and Delta Force, launched a search operation. The Interior Ministry reported pursuing one of the vehicles involved in the kidnapping, leading to a car crash and the arrest of one suspect allegedly from the 45th Regiment of the Iraqi Army. According to reports, the arrested individual has connections to Hezbollah Iraq, an Iranian-backed group established in 2007 and designated as a terrorist organization by the United States in 2009. The group was formed as an alliance of armed factions following the American invasion of Iraq and has conducted operations against US forces. The US maintains a Level 4 travel advisory for Iraq, strongly advising Americans against travel due to security concerns. Iraqi officials condemned the kidnapping and vowed to pursue legal action against perpetrators while ensuring the safety of foreign guests. This incident follows a pattern of kidnappings in Iraq, including the 2023 case of Russian-Israeli student Elizabeth Tsorkov, who was also allegedly taken by Iranian-backed groups.