Pakistan: Party hats are confused - which top al Qaeda leader got killed and how?

Conflicting reports from the region abound. Who the heck was it? Al Masri or al Misri? Was it a predator drone attack or was it a work-related accident?

Fog of war and all that... Here's what the Long War Journal is reporting:

The US airstrike in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan may have killed a senior al Qaeda operative. But the reports may be confusing one of al Qaeda's senior-most leaders with a senior explosives trainer and expert.

The attack, launched earlier today at a compound in Spalaga near Mir Ali, killed three al Qaeda operatives, according to Pakistani intelligence officials.

The report changed much later in the day, when Pakistani officials claimed an explosion inside the compound, and not a US strike, caused the deaths. But US intelligence officials contacted by The Long War Journal confirmed that the US carried out the attack inside Pakistan.

The officials said Pakistan changed the story from a Predator strike to a detonation inside the house because the attack occurred in North Waziristan. News of a US strike in North Waziristan might endanger the Pakistan’s Army’s truce with Hafiz Gul Bahadar. The Army cut a deal with Bahadar to ensure that his Taliban forces would not attack the military as it uses the tribal area to shuttle men and supplies to the offensive in neighboring South Waziristan.

A report at Dawn later surfaced that an al Qaeda operative known as Abu Musa al Misri (or Abu Musa al Masri) was killed in the attack. According to a senior US military intelligence official, Abu Musa al Masri is in fact a senior al Qaeda explosive expert and trainer.

Dawn then identified the al Qaeda commander as Abu al Masri and Mustafa al Yazid - who is better known as Mustafa Abu Yazid and Sheikh Saeed al Masri. Yazid is al Qaeda's top commander in Afghanistan and serves as the equivalent of al Qaeda's chief financial officer. He personally withdraws funds from al Qaeda's treasury, the Bayt al Mal, which was known to be based in Jani Khel in Bannu.

US intelligence officials contacted by The Long War Journal would not confirm the death of a senior al Qaeda leader but said they were aware of the reports and are investigating.

Looks like the 48 hour rule is still in effect.