American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson, aged 49, was released after a week in captivity in Baghdad, Iraq. Her release was confirmed by U.S. and Iraqi officials following a statement from the Iran-aligned militia Kataib Hezbollah, which indicated she would be freed on the condition that she leave the country immediately. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed gratitude to Iraqi authorities for their cooperation and stated that the U.S. is assisting Kittleson in arranging her safe departure. Reports suggest that her release was part of a deal involving the exchange of several imprisoned militia members. Kittleson was abducted on March 31, and her kidnapping underscores the increasing role of armed non-state actors in Iraq's security landscape, particularly those linked to Iran. The U.S. State Department continues to advise American citizens against traveling to Iraq due to ongoing security risks and threats of kidnapping.