Athamneh, Sheyyab tribes sign agreement

AMMAN — The tribes of Athamneh and Sheyyab on Friday signed a comprehensive conciliation agreement to put an end to the one month unrest in Sarih, Irbid, which resulted in the death of Quteibah Sheyyab and Ali Athamneh.

The clashes also resulted in several injuries for members of both tribes and others in the town, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The conciliation was reached after efforts exerted by a committee formed with Sarih residents and led by former prime minister Abdur-Rau’f Rawabdeh and former minister Abdul Rahim Okour, which was supported by guarantors from the Bani Hani and Issa tribes.

MP Husni Sheyyab and former minister Kamel Ajlouni signed the agreement on behalf of both tribes, in the presence of Interior Minister Ghaleb Zu’bi, Irbid Governor Radwan Otoum, former prime ministers, and several MPs. 

The clashes started in early May, following an argument between neighbours over vehicle parking. The argument turned violent and escalated, leading to an attack on a local hospital and private property, in which wooden sticks, rocks and live ammunition were used. 

The May clashes left one person dead and four injured.

Notables of Sarih and Irbid, 80km north of Amman, went to the Sheyyab tribe’s diwan (tribal gathering place), where the Sheyyab tribe accepted a settlement which acknowledged the killing of their son by the Athamneh tribe.

Quteibah Sheyyab, a 45-year-old engineer, was shot and killed while at a hospital checking on people injured during the fight between the two tribes in Sarih.

Under the signed agreement, both tribes announced they would drop all personal rights in the cases each tribe filed against the other, including the cases involving the two killings and the damages to the private property.

The agreement also stipulated no lawsuit would be filed in relation to the clashes, public rights would be left to court, and that relations between the two tribes would be normalised.

Zu’bi visited the residence of MP Husni Sheyyab and expressed the government’s appreciation for his tribe’s cooperation during the unrest, which helped in reaching the agreement.

The minister also visited the residence of Ajlouni where he met with tribal leaders of the Athamneh and voiced his appreciation for reaching an agreement that ended the conflict.