Jordan: Fire Breaks Out at Military Munitions Depot

A huge blast at a military munitions depot in the city of Zarqa, 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of Amman, sparked a large fire, but there were no reports of casualties. AFP
A huge blast at a military munitions depot in the city of Zarqa, 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of Amman, sparked a large fire, but there were no reports of casualties. AFP
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Jordan: Fire Breaks Out at Military Munitions Depot

A huge blast at a military munitions depot in the city of Zarqa, 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of Amman, sparked a large fire, but there were no reports of casualties. AFP
A huge blast at a military munitions depot in the city of Zarqa, 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of Amman, sparked a large fire, but there were no reports of casualties. AFP

A huge explosion rocked a Jordanian military arms depot early Friday sparking a large fire at the base located in an uninhabited area.

The blast was accidental and likely caused by a chemical reaction inside a shell amid a blistering heatwave in the desert country, according to the millitary.

"An explosion occurred in the early hours of Friday ... in a warehouse containing unusable mortar bombs belonging to the armed forces," government spokesman Amjad al-Adaileh said in a statement.

The army said there were no casualties. The blast happened in the city of Zarqa, 25 kilometres (15 miles) east of the capital Amman, where several Jordanian bases and depots are located.

Images which swiftly spread on social media showed a huge ball of flames rising into the night sky, followed by several more explosions, AFP reported.

The army, which closed off the area, acknowledged that there had been an explosion "in one of the ammunition depots which is being dismantled near the city of Zarqa".

Preliminary findings indicated that "the explosion was due to high temperatures provoking a chemical reaction in a shell", the military said in a statement.

Jordan has over the past week seen temperatures soar above 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit) in some regions.

The area around the explosion has been "completely combed to ensure that there is no further danger, and the situation is under control," General Imad al-Khamaysseh told state television.

Zarqa governorate, which has a population of about 1.5 million, has witnessed several explosions in past years, mainly caused by old munitions and fires in warehouses. It is also home to many factories and a free trade zone.

The explosion came only days after Jordan revealed plans to reinstate military service for unemployed men between the ages of 25 and 29.



Syrian Forces Enter Sweida after Deadly Clashes

Syrian government forces deploy at Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Syrian government forces deploy at Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
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Syrian Forces Enter Sweida after Deadly Clashes

Syrian government forces deploy at Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Syrian government forces deploy at Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

Syrian government forces entered the city of Sweida on Tuesday, the interior ministry said, aiming to end clashes that have killed nearly 100 people.

The southern city had been under the control of armed factions from the Druze minority, whose religious leaders said they had approved the deployment of Damascus' troops and called on fighters to hand over their weapons.

A curfew was to be imposed on the southern city in a bid to halt the violence, which erupted at the weekend and has since spread across Sweida governorate.

Government forces said they intervened to separate Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters but ended up taking control of several Druze areas around Sweida, an AFP correspondent reported.

Military columns were seen advancing toward Sweida on Tuesday morning, with heavy artillery deployed nearby.

The defense ministry said later that they had entered the city, and urged people to "stay home and report any movements of outlaw groups".

An AFP correspondent heard explosions and gunshots as soldiers moved into Sweida.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported 99 people killed since the fighting erupted on Sunday -- 60 Druze, including four civilians, 18 Bedouin fighters, 14 security personnel and seven unidentified people in military uniforms.

The defense ministry reported 18 deaths among the ranks of the armed forces.