Pakistani troops have probably surrounded Ayman al-Zawahiri, the No. 2 of the al-Qaeda terrorist group, in the country's tribal area, official sources said. 

 

"There is a strong possibility that the militants are fighting to protect al-Qaeda No. 2," said a government official on condition of anonymity.

 

Another intelligence official said, "We have been receiving intelligence and information from our agents who are working in the tribal areas that al-Zawahiri could be among the people hiding there."

 

Information was also coming in from some of the 18 suspects arrested during Thursday's operation. Some of the suspects said al-Zawahiri was injured in the operation, which left "dozens" dead, according to the official.

 

However, Information and Broadcasting Minister Sheikh Rashid said "We can not confirm the presence of any named al-Qaeda figure."

 

"The possibility of any important figure being surrounded can not be ruled out," the minister said.

 

Earlier, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said in an interview with CNN that the country's troops have surrounded al-Qaeda fighters protecting a "high-value target," without mentioning who the target is.

 

"I think there is very likely a high-value target," Musharraf said, adding "I can't say who."

 

"They are giving fierce resistance so we are pretty sure there is a high-value target there," said Musharraf.

 

Hundreds of Pakistani army and paramilitary troops backed by gunships Thursday raided homes in the country's remote South Waziristan tribal agency in a fresh offensive against al-Qaeda and Taliban suspects two days after a similar operation in the same area left 39 people dead, including 15 government troops and 24 local tribal militants and some foreigners.

 

The operation, which took place about 15 kilometers west of Wana, headquarters of the tribal agency bordering Afghanistan, started on Thursday morning and it progressed smoothly, Major Antique of Inter-Service of Public Relations told Xinhua early Thursday.

 

He added the locals were shifted to safer places hours before the operation began but he refused to give any more details.

 

Thursday's offensive against al-Qaeda suspects coincided with the five-day South Asia tour by US Secretary of State Colin Powell. During his stay in Islamabad, Powell spoke highly of Pakistan's cooperation with the United States in the war on "terrorism."

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 19, 2004)