The bodies of two Pakistani government officials have been found dumped in a well after they were abducted two weeks ago at the start of a major counter-terrorism operation, during which the military claims it killed the top al-Qaida intelligence chief.

Pakistan’s military has arrested more than 100 suspects in their five-day assault on al-Qaida militants holed up in mud fortresses along the border, the military commander in charge of the operation said today.

Pakistani attack helicopters and artillery resumed pounding hundreds of al Qaida suspects and tribesmen besieged in mud fortresses where al Qaida number two Ayman al-Zawahri is believed hiding in a Pakistani border region early today.

Pakistani forces have surrounded a “high-value” al Qaida target on the Afghan border after two days of fierce fighting, Pakistan’s president Pervez Musharraf said today.