Shops set on fire in Ibri but situation brought under control

Muscat: Miscreants set some shops in Ibri on fire on Thursday morning but firemen quickly brought the situation under control, an eyewitness said.

"One shop selling cosmetics and owned by an Omani citizen was damaged along with a new van parked near the shop," the eyewitness said from Ibri, 175 kilometres northwest of Muscat.

He said around 4am the shops were set on fire by some miscreants but fire brigade officials reached within 10 minutes and stopped the fire from spreading.

All jewellery shops in Ibri are shut after protests started three days ago, he said. "At some places tyres were burnt and even a government vehicle was set on fire but after the early morning incident things are under control," the eyewitness added.

He said there are about 50 protesters in Ibri. There are reports of protests in Yanqul and other areas in the Dhahirah Region.