Two cars were involved in the kidnapping of American journalist Shelly Kittleson: one crashed and was stopped during a pursuit by authorities near the town of Al-Haswa, in Babil province, southwest of Baghdad, while the journalist was transferred to a second car that fled the scene, according to international news agencies.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry said that security forces launched an operation to track down the kidnappers, "acting on the basis of precise information and through intensive field operations," after intercepting a vehicle belonging to the kidnappers that overturned during the escape.
After the kidnapping, which took place in central Baghdad, Iraqi security issued an alert to all checkpoints, which led to a pursuit of the kidnappers as they headed southwest of the capital, towards Babil province.
