BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Lebanese army killed a suspected drug dealer and seven others during a raid in northeast Lebanon on Monday, the army said.

During the raid, which took place near the town of Brital, not far from the border with Syria, soldiers were fired at by armed groups, an army statement said.

“Army members were forced to retaliate, leading to the killing of eight armed people and the arrest of 41 people,” it said.

The army said 16 of those arrested were Lebanese and 25 were Syrian.

The man wanted on suspicion of drugs offences was called Ali Zaid Ismail. Weapons and drugs were seized as a result of the raid, the army said.