The US Special Operations Forces have standing orders to enter Pakistan if they find any ‘conclusive’ evidence about the presence of the ‘big three’, which includes, Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri and Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar.

According to a ‘Washington Post’ report, the US Special Operation Forces have already established ground teams on the Pak-Afghanistan border, and would move into Pakistan if they receive any substantial information about the presence of any of the ‘big three’ in a particular area.

The US suspects that the top three extremists are hiding in Pakistan, the report says.

In 2008, the Bush administration authorized covert US ground raids inside Pakistan, but Pakistani outrage after a single attack led to their suspension, the Dawn reports.

So far, the Obama administration has not authorized any ground operations inside Pakistan.

However, the US Special Operations Forces’ teams are on a continuous alert on the Afghan side of the border.

Currently, the US role against extremists in Pakistan is limited to unmanned drone attacks inside Pakistan.

The report further noted that it was still unclear whether the US could capitalize on such an opportunity to hit a high value target.

The US and Pakistani officials conceded that chances to seize substantive Al Qaeda communications, or to take advantage of the movement of individuals were ‘always fleeting’.