Pakistani troops, some on horseback and others dropped onto hilltops by helicopter, have boosted border patrols to capture the fleeing fighters and prevent bin Laden from sneaking in.
In Yemen, troops led by the son of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, were deployed in the search for Muslim militants linked to bin Laden. "This is a hot pursuit that will continue until the terrorist elements are arrested," one official said.
Helicopter gunships backed by tanks stormed a hide-out used by bin Laden's supporters on Tuesday, in the first military operation of its kind in Yemen since the Sept. 11 attacks that brought down the World Trade Center and badly damaged the Pentagon.
At the UN, key Security Council members completed a resolution that would authorize a British-led multinational force. A vote could be scheduled as early as Thursday.
New Afghan Defense Minister Mohammad Fahim said troops would number around 1,000 with other personnel providing logistical support. His spokesman said the force and logistics team would total 3,000, with the first contingent arriving on Friday,
The UN resolution gives the troops a six-month mandate, subject to renewal. Britain expects up to 200 marines to be in place by Saturday when the new Afghan government takes office. France and Italy want to send troops soon after.
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