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Anarchist Struggle
Tekoşîna Anarşîst
Dates of operation	August 2017 – present
Active regions	Rojava
Ideology	Anarchism Libertarian communism
Status	Active
Part of	International Freedom Battalion
Allies	Syrian Democratic Forces YPG YPJ
Opponents	ISIL  Turkey Syrian National Army Tahrir al-Sham Ashab al-Kahf
Battles and wars	Operation Olive Branch Deir ez-Zor campaign Operation Claw-Sword
Website	Twitter

Anarchist Struggle is an anarchist auxiliary military unit, composed mainly of international volunteers, who fight for the Syrian Democratic Forces in the Rojava conflict of the Syrian Civil War. It was founded in 2017 and later integrated into the International Freedom Battalion.

History

Although Tekoşîna Anarşîst has been active since August 2017, the unit did not publicly announce its existence until January 10, 2019, when it released an official statement, quickly picked up by websites such as It's Going Down, Enough is Enough and Voices in Movement.

Battle of Afrin

At the beginning of 2018, in the face of Turkey's invasion of the Afrin canton, a unit of international volunteers called the Anti-Fascist Forces in Afrin (AFFA) was formed, and the members of Anarchist Struggle were integrated into it. The group participated in the Battle of Afrin in early 2018 against the Turkish Army and the Free Syrian Army. In the battle, dozens of international volunteers lost their lives in combat. One of them was Şevger Ara Makhno, nom de guerre of a young militant Turkish anarchist. The identity of the young man was not disclosed to protect his family from possible reprisals, because they live in Turkey.

Deir ez-Zor offensive

After the Battle of Afrin, the group mobilized to the town of Al-Baghuz Fawqani to carry out medical assistance tasks for the fighters and mobilize volunteers to fight against the last stronghold of the Islamic State in Syria. On March 18, 2019, an ISIS-related media announced on a Telegram channel the death of an "Italian crusader" in an ambush during the Battle of Baghuz. The killed victim was Lorenzo Orsetti, a 33-year-old anarchist from Florence, who joined as a fighter in Anarchist Struggle. His death was then confirmed by the both anarchist unit and by the YPG. The news shocked public opinion in Italy, the young anarchist was classified as a "hero" by various media and personalities in Italy, while others stood out to criticize the "Italian hypocrisy" in front of international volunteers who join the Kurds and upon returning to Italy are prosecuted. His body was repatriated days later to Florence, his hometown. Lorenzo was vindicated by various anarchist and leftist organizations and media such as the Federazione Anarchica Italiana.

See also

• Anarchism in Syria
• International Revolutionary People's Guerrilla Forces
• Revolutionary Union for Internationalist Solidarity

References

1. "Collective Announced in Rojava: Tekoşîna Anarşîst". AMW English. January 10, 2019. Archived from the original on March 28, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
2. ^ Network, A. Radio (January 11, 2019). "Tekosina Anarsist (Anarchist Struggle) Announces It's [sic] Presence in Rojava". It's Going Down. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
3. Orglot, Paxton (January 11, 2019). "Tekoşîna Anarşîst (Lucha Anarquista) anuncia su presencia en Rojava" (in Spanish). Voices in Movement. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
4. "Şehîd Şevger Ara Makhno – Caído en la defensa de Afrin" (in Spanish). Madrid: Rojava Azadi. April 7, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
5. "Statement from şehîd Şevger Ara Makhno's anarchist comrades in Rojava". Internationalist Commune. March 4, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
6. "Lorenzo Orsetti, morto per la libertà" (in Italian). Radio Popolare. March 19, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
7. Vespa, Stefano (March 19, 2019). "Lorenzo e gli altri combattenti italiani all'estero. Morire per sconfiggere l'Isis" (in Italian). Formiche. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
8. Rizzo, Domenico Valter (March 20, 2019). "Lorenzo Orsetti, ora tutti lo celebrano ma anche lui era uno dei cattivi" (in Italian). Il Fatto Quotidiano. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
9. "Foreign fighters contro ISIS, 'eroi' perseguitati" (in Italian). L'Indro. March 19, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
10. Locatelli, Claudio (March 20, 2019). "Italia ipocrita: piange Orsetti, ma della sua battaglia se n'è sempre fregata" (in Italian). Retrieved March 22, 2019.
11. Bauducco, Simone (March 20, 2019). "Lorenzo Orsetti, Zerocalcare: "Cordoglio unanime? Grande ipocrisia. Se fosse tornato sarebbe stato processato"" (in Italian). Il Fatto Quotidiano. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
12. "Lorenzo Tekoşer Orsetti, anarchico, morto per la libertà" (in Italian). Umanità Nova. March 21, 2019. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
13. "Lorenzo Orsetti, Fattori (Sì) propone Gonfalone d'Argento alla memoria". gonews.it. March 21, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.

• Anarchism in Syria
• Anarchist militant groups
• Anti-ISIL factions in Syria
• Expatriate units and formations in the Syrian civil war
• International Freedom Battalion
• Resistance movements
• Revolutionary movements