The abduction of freelance US journalist Shelly Kittleson in central Baghdad on Tuesday by a suspected Shiite militia has once again highlighted the complex power dynamics in Iraq, where Iran-backed armed groups can hold greater sway than the country’s elected government. Kidnapping foreign nationals, and Westerners in particular, is a classic tactic through which the militias expose the government’s weakness and press their demands, experts say.

The Iran-backed Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah is thought to be responsible for Kittleson’s disappearance. An individual with ties to the group was arrested on Tuesday after authorities intercepted one of the vehicles involved in snatching Kittleson off the street outside the hotel in central Baghdad where she was residing. The person’s identity has not been released. 

Iraqi security officials and the FBI are coordinating efforts to secure Kittleson’s safe release, US and Iraqi officials speaking not for attribution told Al-Monitor. They declined to comment on her whereabouts. On Wednesday, agents from a local FBI field office visited Kittleson's family at their home, a US official said on condition of anonymity.

Kataib Hezbollah is part of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, which were initially formed to wage war against the Islamic State in 2014. They have since evolved into a parallel authority that is heavily influenced by Tehran. Whether Iran directly controls the militia's authorities remains an open question.