Top US general David Petraeus held talks in Pakistan on Monday to bolster the relationship with a key regional ally, as a suicide bombing claimed nine lives in the country's northwest. Petraeus, the head of US forces in central Asia and the Middle East, met premier Yousuf Raza Gilani and army chief General Ashfaq Kayani shortly after his arrival, a statement from the prime minister's office said. 'General Petraeus appreciated the commitment and sacrifices made by the security forces, armed forces and the people of Pakistan in eradicating militancy and terrorism,' it said. The visit by the head of US Central Command follows the capture last month of top Taliban military commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Pakistan, in what the US media said was a joint operation by US and Pakistani spies. The involvement of Pakistan -- suspected by the West of supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan -- was seen as a signal of a new era in US efforts to persuade Islamabad to move aggressively against Islamist networks in both countries. During their talks, Petraeus assured Gilani of his support for 'Pakistans demand for early reimbursement of the Coalition Support Fund,' the statement said, referring to US cash for Pakistan's participation in its 'war on terror.' The Pakistani premier stressed the need for closer ties between the United States and Pakistan, it added. 'Gilani said that the gap between culmination of operations and reconstruction of the militancy affected areas needs to be plugged to develop the confidence of the people in the process of consolidation.' Gilani said that 'the long-term strategic relations between the US and Pakistan needs to be made more meaningful to further bridge the trust deficit and help develop closer cooperation in all sectors,' the statement said. Petraeus's arrival in Pakistan also coincided with a suicide bombing on a military convoy in the northwestern Swat valley where nine people including women and children were killed. Swat has been held up as a success story in Pakistan's fight against Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants by local and US officials, who praised the offensive for apparently ending a two-year local Taliban insurgency. US national security adviser General James Jones visited Swat valley earlier this month and congratulated Pakistani security forces on the 'success' of their operations and noted their 'tremendous sacrifices'. But despite the relative calm, sporadic clashes and suicide attacks have continued to rock the valley in the last seven months. Pakistan's military is now engaged in fighting in the northwest tribal belt along the Afghan border, where the core Taliban leadership and Al-Qaeda-linked militants are holed up in the rugged mountain terrain. More than 3,000 people have been killed in suicide and bomb attacks across Pakistan since July 2007 in a deadly campaign blamed on Islamist militants opposed to the government's alliance with the United States. 