Tribal fighters take Osama bin Laden cave

We are receiving reports Alliance troops in Afghanistan have surrounded a large number of al-Qaida guerrillas.

There are unconfirmed reports that Osama bin Laden may be among them.

The US-backed tribal fighters say they have taken a cave near Tora Bora that apparently had been occupied recently by bin Laden, Afghan commander Hazrat Ali says.

It is not clear how long ago bin Laden might have been in the cave located on or near a rugged ridge in the foothills of the White Mountains.

Afghan anti-Taliban forces are searching the cavern.

The troops have encircled many al-Qaida loyalists in a small depression on the ridge. A battle for that position is ongoing, and Hazrat Ali claims there are many al-Qaida dead and wounded.

"They are surrounded and they cannot escape," he said.

He says the cave was discovered after an Alliance advance against al-Qaida forces, who were flushed out of other mountain hide-outs this week.

"There are some caves and now the (alliance forces) are going to search these caves. We hope to catch Osama," Ali said.