World's most wanted terrorist Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been killed in a US operation in Pakistan. An announcement to this effect was made this morning by US President Barack Obama in Washington. Bin Laden was killed in a mansion at Abbottabad, 150 kilometers north of Capital Islamabad. His body has been recovered by American authorities in Pakistan. US President Barack Obama who made the announcement said, Osama Bin Laden was killed in an US Operation.The US did not inform Pakistan about the closely guarded operation on the outskirts of Islamabad today that resulted in the death of al Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden. A senior US administration official said, the information was not shared with any other country including Pakistan, adding that in such a kind of operation, the information is kept only to a few people and this was done in this case too. The official told White House correspondents that the successful 40-minute operation was carried out by two US helicopters. Besides, Osama bin Laden, three men and one woman was killed in this operation. One helicopter was damaged due to mechanical failure, but no US special forces were injured or hurt in this operation. Announcing the death of bin Laden, President Barack Obama asked Pakistan to co-operate with the US in the war against terror. In his live televised speech, Obama spoke, Going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join the US in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates. Obama said Over the years, he had repeatedly made clear that the US would take action within Pakistan if they knew where bin Laden was. Obama said that it is what they have done. But it’s important to note that their counter-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead them to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Obama said, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people. He said, he called Pakistan President Zardari, and his team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterpart. Obama said, they agree that this is a good and historic day for both of their nations.A senior US administration official said they would investigate as to how Osama bin Laden was living so close to Pakistan’s capital that too in a neighbourhood which was normally a residence of top retired military officials.Born in 1957, Laden was the son of Saudi Arabia's wealthiest construction magnate. He created and funded the al Qaeda terror network, was accused of being behind a number of atrocities, including the attacks on New Yorks World Trade Centre and Washington on 11 September 2001. Osama was suspected of playing large roles in the 1998 bombings of two US Embassies in Africa and the attack on the USS Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden in October 2000. The Saudi exile had been on the run since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan overthrew the ruling Taliban regime, which harboured bin Laden.