Shelley Kittleson, a 49-year-old American freelance journalist, was released after being kidnapped by the Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 31. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced her release on Wednesday, expressing relief and gratitude towards the Iraqi authorities and U.S. agencies involved in the negotiations. Kataib Hezbollah stated that Kittleson's release was contingent on her immediate departure from Iraq, and in exchange, they sought the release of several of their detained members. Kittleson had been held in Baghdad and had previously ignored warnings from U.S. officials regarding threats to her safety. Her kidnapping involved a two-car operation, with one vehicle crashing during the pursuit. The militia had not publicly acknowledged its responsibility for the abduction, despite U.S. and Iraqi officials attributing it to them. Kittleson has a long-standing career in journalism across the Middle East, having previously lived in Rome and worked on a tight budget without the protections of larger news organizations.