Syrian man arrested after dozens injured, including eight children, in arson attacks in Germany

Two apartment blocks were set on fire and a van was rammed into shops

Police officers at the scene where a man rammed a van into shops in Essen, western Germany. AFP

A Syrian man has been arrested after arson attacks left more than 30 people injured, including eight children.

Fires were started at two apartment blocks and a van was rammed into shops in the western Germany city of Essen on Saturday night.

More than 30 people were injured in the fires, Essen police said.

A short time later, a van was rammed into two nearby shops, causing damage but no injuries, police added.

A Syrian man, 41, was arrested at the scene. Initial investigations indicated that the suspect's possible motive was that his wife had left him. He had gone out armed with "knives and fire accelerants" intending to target homes and shops in Essen connected with people who had supported his wife, police said.

It has been reported the suspect had allegedly threatened passers-by with a machete. It comes at a time of heated debate in Germany over migration after a spate of suspected Islamist extremist attacks.

Three people were killed and eight wounded in a knife attack at a street festival in the western city of Solingen in August, allegedly carried out by a Syrian asylum seeker in support of ISIS.

An extreme Islamist motive is suspected in the killing of a police officer in a knife attack in Mannheim in May.

Germany has responded to the attacks by taking steps to tighten immigration controls and knife laws. The government has introduced new checks along all of its borders and promised to speed up deportations of migrants who have no right to stay in Germany.