ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Efforts are underway in northeast Syria (Rojava) to rebuild a cinema that was destroyed by fire nearly 64 years ago, an inferno that killed hundreds of children, media affiliated with the local authorities have reported.
The Amuda municipality broke ground to reconstruct the cinema, local broadcaster Orkesh FM reported on Wednesday in a Facebook post with photos and videos showing excavations and the planned footprint of the cinema in northeastern Hasaka province.
The old theater in the Kurdish town, known for its arts and culture, showed international, regional, and local films for years before it tragically went up in flames on November 13, 1960, killing more than 200 children, according to local and international news reports.
Locals have recounted that it was common for school-aged children to be invited to theaters for films shown for entertainment, learning, or political propaganda. Theories on the cause of the fire range from an accident to arson to a malfunctioning movie projector. At the time, the country was part of the United Arab Republic and the following year there was a coup d’etat.
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) implemented the project for Shahrazad Cinema as part of ongoing efforts to revive culture in areas it controls with the support of the Kurdish-led Democratic Union Party (PYD), the political wing of the People's Protection Units (YPG).
Doreen Daqouri, technical supervisor at Amuda municipality, said that the project will cost $346,326, reported Hawar News (ANHA), an outlet affiliated with the AANES.
As Syria has been engulfed in conflict since 2011, officials in Rojava have sought to establish autonomy. The region boycotted elections held by Damascus this year.
YPG forces have formed the backbone of the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS). The group has tried to parlay its military record and control of parts of oil-rich Deir ez-Zor into political capital as they are squeezed by Turkey and its proxy forces in the north, and are increasingly coming into conflict in the south and southwest with Iran-backed fighters supporting the Assad regime.
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