Lebanese authorities arrest 4 suspects in deadly street battle in Beirut

Lebanon arrests 4 after deadly Beirut shootout

BEIRUT — Lebanese authorities have arrested four suspects in this week’s deadly Beirut street battle between the Shiite Muslim Hezbollah group and a small Sunni group.

The suspects are accused of attacking and setting fire to a Sunni mosque during Tuesday’s hours-long clash, which killed three people, including two Hezbollah members. It was the worst fighting in Beirut since 2008.

A senior security official says the arrests were made in army raids Friday night in the Bourj Abu Haidar residential neighborhood, where the fighting took place.

The official spoke Saturday on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations.

Witnesses said the fighting was touched off by a traffic dispute that escalated when local gunmen gathered reinforcements.