Lorenzo Orsetti (13 February 1986 – 18 March 2019), also known as Orso (''

Bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family (biology), family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats ...

'' in Italian) and Tekoşer Piling, was an Italian

anarcho-communist Anarchist communism is a far-left political ideology and anarchist school of thought that advocates communism. It calls for the abolition of private real property but retention of personal property and collectively-owned items, goods, and ser ...

and

antifascist Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were op ...

from

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

who fought with the

Syrian Democratic Forces The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a Kurds in Syria, Kurdish-led coalition of U.S.-backed Left-wing politics, left-wing ethnic militias and rebel groups, and serves as the official military wing of the Democratic Autonomous Administration ...

in the

Rojava conflict The Rojava Conflict, also known as the Rojava Revolution, is a political upheaval and military conflict taking place in northern Syria, known among Kurds as Syrian Kurdistan, Western Kurdistan or Rojava. During the Syrian civil war that began ...

History

Orsetti was a chef and

sommelier A ''sommelier'' ( , , ), ''chef de vin'' or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. The role of the ''s ...

by trade and worked in different restaurants in

. He became interested in the

, the struggle of the

Kurdish people Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...

against the

Islamic State The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...

, and the

Rojava Revolution The Rojava Conflict, also known as the Rojava Revolution, is a political upheaval and military conflict taking place in northern Syria, known among Kurds as Western Kurdistan or Rojava. During the Syrian civil war that began in 2011, a Kurd ...

. He met Paolo Andolina, an Italian activist and

anarchist Anarchism is a political philosophy and Political movement, movement that seeks to abolish all institutions that perpetuate authority, coercion, or Social hierarchy, hierarchy, primarily targeting the state (polity), state and capitalism. A ...

who had fought against the Islamic State with

YPG International The YPG International or People's Protection Units International (Kurdish: ''YPG Enternasyonel'') is a military unit made up of foreign fighters in the Syrian Democratic Forces. It was created in December 2016 as the Antifascist International Tab ...

. In September 2017 Orsetti travelled to

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

, where he joined the

People's Protection Units The People's Defense Units (YPG), also called People's Protection Units, is a libertarian socialist US-backed Kurds in Syria, Kurdish militant group in Syria and the primary component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The YPG mostl ...

(YPG). Once in Syria, he struck up friendships with several Italian

volunteers who were fighting there alongside the

Kurds Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...

. Upon finishing his military training, Orsetti joined a military formation organised by the

Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist The Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist (''Türkiye Komünist Partisi/Marksist-Leninist'' in Turkish language, Turkish, abbreviated as TKP/ML) is a Marxism–Leninism–Maoism, Marxist–Leninist–Maoist insurgent organization in Turke ...

and then fought during the Battle of Afrin against the

Turkish Army The Turkish Land Forces () is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for Army, land-based military operations. The army was formed on November 8, 1920, after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Significant campaigns since the ...

and

Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army The Syrian National Army (SNA; ), also known as the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (TFSA), is a coalition of armed Syrian opposition groups that participate in the Syrian civil war. Comprising various rebel factions that emerged at the sta ...

jihadist Jihadism is a neologism for modern, armed militant Political aspects of Islam, Islamic movements that seek to Islamic state, establish states based on Islamic principles. In a narrower sense, it refers to the belief that armed confrontation ...

s with other internationalists as part of TİKKO and AFFA (Anti-Fascist Forces in Afrin). During this time he deployed several times to the front in Deir ez-Zur. He fought initially outside of Hajin with a mixed unit during which IS attempted to break out of the besieged city. The battle lasted for 3 days and resulted in significant casualties. Following this he continued to participate in the campaign until the final defeat of IS in Al-Baghuz. It was during this battle that Lorenzo Orsetti was killed.

Death

Orsetti was

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

on the morning of Monday 18 March 2019 in the village of Baghouz, Syria. He was in that locality fighting in the

Battle of Baghuz Fawqani The Battle of Baghuz Fawqani was an offensive by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), assisted by Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) coalition airstrikes, artillery, and special forces personnel, that began on 9 ...

against the last bastion of the

in Syria. He was attached to an

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

unit

when he and his comrades were killed by the jihadists in an ambush. His death was announced by Islamic State media and confirmed by the YPG, Tekoşina Anarşist and by TKP/ML TİKKO, the latter of whom published Orsetti's letter to be read in the event of his death. The letter states "I don’t have regrets, I died doing what I thought was the right thing, defending the weakest, and being loyal to my ideals of justice, equality, and freedom. So, despite of my premature departure, my life is still successful, and I am almost sure that I went with a smile on my lips. I could not have asked for better." When announcing his death, his comrades shared Orsetti's last will in which he explained why he had decided to travel to Syria and his ideological motives. Orsetti's body was returned to Florence in June 2019, and was interred in the Porte Sante cemetery.

Honours

A library in the train station of

Berceto Berceto ( Parmigiano: , or ; ) is a village and ''comune'' in Italy, located in the Apennine Mountains on the main road between La Spezia and Parma, in the Taro River valley, in the region of Emilia-Romagna Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; o ...

, near

Parma Parma (; ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmesan, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,986 inhabitants as of 2025, ...

, has been named in his honour. In June 2019 the third district council of

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

renamed ''Parco Nomentano'', a public park, in his honor as ''Parco Nomentano Lorenzo Orsetti''. In September 2019, the municipality of Florence approved plans to name a street in his honour. The motion was proposed by left-wing municipal councillors and opposed by the right-wing

Lega Nord Lega Nord (LN; ), whose complete name is (), is a right-wing politics, right-wing, federalism, federalist, populism, populist and conservatism, conservative list of political parties in Italy, political party in Italy. In the run-up to the 201 ...

with the abstention of nationalist party

Brothers of Italy Brothers of Italy (, FdI) is a National conservatism, national-conservative and Right-wing populism, right-wing populist political party in Italy, that is currently the country's ruling party. After becoming the largest party in the 2022 Ita ...

, who disagreed with calling him a

partisan Partisan(s) or The Partisan(s) may refer to: Military * Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line ** Francs-tireurs et partisans, communist-led French anti-fascist resistance against Nazi Germany during WWII ** Ital ...

and with the depiction of him as a hero. In November 2019, a bar and social space in

Prato Prato ( ; ) is a city and municipality (''comune'') in Tuscany, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Prato. The city lies in the northeast of Tuscany, at an elevation of , at the foot of Monte Retaia (the last peak in the Calvana ch ...

, Tuscany, joined the Arci network and renamed the bar in dedication of Orsetti, becoming the Casa del Popolo Lorenzo Orsetti. The inauguration was held on Saturday 9 November 2019 in the presence of Orsetti's family and friends.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orsetti, Lorenzo 1986 births 2019 deaths 21st-century anarchists Anarcho-communists International Freedom Battalion Italian anarchists Italian expatriates in Syria Italian war casualties Military personnel from Florence Military personnel killed in the Syrian civil war People's Defense Units People killed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Sommeliers

History

Death

Honours

See also

References