Don’t know yet what to make of this report from CNN [1]:
“ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) — Pakistani forces have surrounded what may be a ‘high-value’ al Qaeda target in Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan, President Pervez Musharraf told CNN.
‘We feel that there may be a high-value target,’ Musharraf told CNN. ‘I can’t say who.’
The Associated Press and Reuters reported that officials believe the surrounded figure is Osama bin Laden’s deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri. The AP attributed its report to three anonymous Pakistani officials.”
UPDATE from FOX [2]
UPDATE#2
GREATEST JENERATION [3]adds a report from SKY news:
Osama bin Laden’s second in command has been surrounded in Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf has told CNN.
Troops say they have cornered Ayman al-Zawahri in an operation near the Afghan border.
The operation, involving hundreds of troops and paramilitary rangers, has been carried out in the South Waziristan region.
The identity of the man surrounded has not been confirmed.
But President Musharraf said: “(Judging by) the resistance that is being offered by the people there, we feel that there may be a high value target.”
Sky News’ Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall said: “Most people believe the number two is actually the brains (behind the al Qaeda network).”
And he added: “If it’s true it is an enormous strike. It cannot be underestimated.”
On Tuesday at least 41 people, including 15 soldiers and 26 suspected militants were killed in fighting in the area.
Army spokesman General Shaukat Sultan said there had been an unknown number of casualties in continuing action Thursday.