Five suspects arrested for arson after Irbid town brawl

AMMAN — Police in Irbid on Thursday said five individuals suspected of setting two houses and a car ablaze were arrested in Sarih town in Irbid, some 80km north of the capital, late on Wednesday.

The five were part of a group of men from the same family who engaged in a brawl with another group from a different family over personal disputes, said Irbid Police Department Director Brig. Gen. Ali Hamlan.

“Some properties were set ablaze but no one was injured in the fire,” the police official told The Jordan Times over the phone.

Hamlan added that a special unit raided the houses of some of the suspects late on Wednesday night and arrested five people.

“We are searching for more suspects in connection with this incident,” he said.

The police official would not elaborate on the cause of the fight, but said that “they were all neighbours and probably that was a contributing factor”.

Public Security Department Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi said the situation was brought under control on Wednesday night.

“The situation is normal and we have arrested several individuals as a result of our ongoing investigations,” Sartawi told The Jordan Times.