Washington, March 31 -- Shelly Kittleson, an American freelance journalist and contributor to Al-Monitor, has reportedly been abducted in Baghdad, with the US Department of State confirming it is investigating the case and noting that she had previously been warned about security risks in the region.

Dylan Johnson, an assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, confirmed in a post on X, "The U.S. Department of State is aware of the reported kidnapping of an American journalist in Baghdad, Iraq."

Highlighting the proactive measures taken prior to the incident, Johnson stated that the victim had been alerted to potential dangers. "The State Department previously fulfilled our duty to warn this individual of threats against the...