Islamabad, 2 Nov. (AKI) - Pakistani security forces on Monday claimed to have seized control of the town of Kaniguram in South Waziristan, one of the Taliban's key strongholds near the border of Afghanistan. The army's latest announcement came as two deadly suicide attacks caused havoc in two major cities in Pakistan.

About 35 people were killed in an attack in Rawalpindi and two suicide bombers and a policeman were killed in a separate attack on a police checkpoint outside Lahore. At least 25 others were injured in the second attack.

Military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas said that the Kaniguram area had been "completely cleared of terrorists".

He said that troops had cleared the area of both mines and improvised explosive devices after carrying out house-to-house searches.

"We have recovered five truck-loads of ammunition, arms and explosives," he said.

The region is believed to host a large number of militants including many aligned with the Pakistani Taliban, led by Hakimullah Mehsud.

The Pakistani government has offered rewards totalling 5 million dollars for information leading to the capture of Hakimullah Mehsud, two other Taliban leaders and 15 commanders.

In a front-page advertisement in Pakistan's daily, The News, a sum of 600,000 dollars was pledged for the capture - dead or alive - of Hakimullah Mehsud.

His umbrella Tehrik-e-Taliban group has been blamed for a number of terrorist acts that have caused death and destruction across the country.

Around 300 people have been killed in violent attacks in Pakistan since mid-October.