Alessandria is the Middle East Correspondent for International Business Times. Previously, she was the Middle East North Africa and Underworld reporter at Vocativ.
Her writing has appeared on Elle.com, amNew York, NY1.com, Gourmet Live and the Cairo-based website Bikya News. She speaks Italian and French fluently and a sprinkling of Arabic and Spanish.
Arbitrary Death Sentences Haunt Syria’s Prisons
Despite a truce to halt an inmate riot in Hama, detainees remain deprived of fundamental human rights.
Sadr Storms Back Into Iraqi Politics
The enigmatic Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has emerged as the face of the anti-corruption movement in Iraq just in time for the 2018 election.
Aleppo Is Burning, 5 Years Into Civil War
After days of fierce fighting in Syria’s largest city, more regime airstrikes may have devastating humanitarian consequences.
ISIS Senior Leader Killed In Lebanon
Two senior Islamic State group fighters were killed and a third arrested in Lebanon on Thursday during an army raid.
Airstrikes Destroy Aleppo Hospital In Syria
The attack killed at least 27 people, many of them patients and staff, including one of the last pediatricians left in the war-ravaged country.
Need To Recycle In Beirut? Call Uber
To help residents of Lebanon’s capital recycle e-waste, the ride-hailing company teamed with local NGO Beeatoona.
Syria Regime’s Message: ‘Surrender Now’
The forces of President Bashar Assad dropped warning leaflets in Homs, urging rebels to give up before a fierce new offensive begins.
The Key To The Taliban’s Success In Afghanistan
The Islamic State group, the Taliban and the Afghan government are fighting for control of Afghanistan. But only one of these groups is consolidating its position.
Syria’s Ceasefire Ends In Gunfire
An opposition alliance launches a new offensive on President Bashar Assad’s home turf and asks for a pause in negotiations.
ISIS Fears Shut Down Libyan Oil Fields
Five major Libyan oil fields have been closed and evacuated due to fears of looming attacks.
Fatah Leader Killed In Lebanon Refugee Camp
The targeted killing of a Fatah leader could escalate hostilities in Lebanon’s Palestinian refugee camps.
A Ceasefire’s Ongoing Toll
For Syrians who have suffered through more than five years of war, a ceasefire means a lower body count, but not a break from mounting casualties.
Al Qaeda’s Ploy To Win Yemen’s Hearts And Minds
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been embedding with local governing institutions in Yemen, offering vital social services in the impoverished country.
The Firms Fueling Syria’s Barrel Bombs
The massive data leak has revealed the companies selling aviation fuel to the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad.
Turkey’s War Against Terror — On Two Fronts
Turkey continues to play an active role in the fight against ISIS, but it has not strayed from its original battle against Kurdish militants.
Liberated Palmyra At A Crossroads
Located in an oasis northeast of Damascus, the ancient World Heritage site has become a significant symbolic and military position in the now 5-year-old Syrian conflict.
Yemen, One Year After Foreign Intervention
The country’s war is becoming increasingly complex, and its ensuing fragmentation has made it more difficult than ever to achieve peace.
Europe’s Terror Cells Predate ISIS
Belgium is at the center of a complex network of militants that has been linked to deadly attacks throughout the continent.
Crackdown May Have Accelerated The Bombings
The explosions that killed at least 30 and injured hundreds were sophisticated attacks, but it remains to be seen if a recent push by authorities to arrest militants might have sped up the timeline.
The Kurdish Question In Syria
Syrian Kurdish groups have declared an autonomous state, and the move is likely to be met with more fighting and shifting allegiances.