US special forces on capture or kill mission

Special forces troops have begun a secret mission to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the US terror strikes, it was reported today.

Senior US and Pakistani officials said the Special Operations Forces had begun moving into countries bordering Afghanistan, where the terrorist was in hiding, according to an American newspaper.

Teams of soldiers were expected to start entering Afghanistan’s mountainous regions within days to try to locate bin Laden, who is believed to be hiding in caves or underground bunkers.

The teams of three to five camouflaged soldiers were believed to involve American troops, although military experts have said Britain’s elite SAS forces would be involved in the planning or execution of any special forces mission.

A special operations command centre has been set up in the region to coordinate the mission, the officials said.

They said bin Laden was believed to be in south west Afghanistan, but said it was not clear where.