BEIRUT: Internal Security Forces announced Saturday the arrest of two suspects involved in the murder of 27-year-old Yves Nawfal, as security forces pursue at least 10 more accused of helping the main attacker avoid arrest.
According to an ISF statement posted to Twitter, lead attacker Charbel Khalil and his accomplice Juliano Saade were arrested over an assault that killed Nawfal near a pub in the Kesrouan area of Ayoun al-Siman one week ago.
Earlier Saturday, the families of the two suspects issued a joint statement announcing that they had “voluntarily handed over” their two sons to security forces.
The families said that former minister Farid Haykal al-Khazen “signaled to the need to hand over our two sons to security forces in order for justice to prevail.”
The move comes three days after Khalil was arrested in the Baalbek town of Brital, in east Lebanon by a unit from the Internal Security Force’s Information Branch.
Security sources told The Daily Star that investigations are pursuing at least 10 suspects who are said to be involved in the murder.
Security forces have so far detained suspects who assisted in hiding Khalil. The accomplices were arrested in the Jbeil village of Lasa, in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Ouzai suburb in Beirut as well as in the east Lebanon town of Brital, where Khalil was arrested earlier this week.
Security forces are pursuing remaining suspects accused of sheltering Khalil from arrest.
Khalil, who gave orders to shoot Nawfal over a personal dispute, had been on the run, his whereabouts unknown for five days since he attacked Nawfal.
Nawfal succumbed to his wounds last week. He was celebrating his birthday at a pub in Kfar Debian when he became involved in a brief fistfight with another group over an offhand comment made to a woman.
Nawfal’s lead attacker, Khalil who became especially aggravated after he was hit by a loose jab ordered his associates not let Nawfal get to Beirut alive.
Armed with a pistol and an automatic gun, the attackers sprayed the Subaru with bullets, leaving Nawfal heavily wounded from four shots.
Nawfal succumbed to his wounds last Saturday morning, while the perpetrators were still at large. A massive social media campaign demanding that the attackers be brought to justice ensued.
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