BAGHDAD, Jan 20: Iraq’s Shia Islamists were confirmed in power by election results on Friday that gave them a near-majority and opened the way for US-backed negotiations with Kurds and Sunnis on a national unity government.

With Baghdad all but sealed off by security forces on alert for attacks by guerillas who accused the ruling Shia Alliance of cheating in last month’s poll, two civilians were killed in one of several bomb attacks on US and Iraqi patrols.

In restive Ramadi, guerillas fired rockets at US bases; there was celebratory gunfire in Najaf.

Troops and police blocked off roads between Baghdad and the restive provinces of Anbar, Salahaddin and Diyala and were also hunting kidnappers who threatened to kill an American journalist by a Friday deadline; leading Sunni figures joined Jill Carroll’s family and colleagues in calling for her release.

Despite angry reactions to the rejection of their complaints about the Dec 15 vote, many Sunni political leaders, who boycotted last year’s interim assembly but now have a fifth of the 275 seats in the new parliament, are already discussing places in a grand coalition with the Shias, Kurds and others.

“Now that the results are out we’re going to start serious talks in Baghdad to form a national unity government based on these results,” Alliance official Abbas al Bayati said, adding that meetings could begin as soon as Saturday.

Sunni politician Hussein al Falluji, accusing US officials of pressuring international monitors to cover up massive fraud, said negotiations would be tough but would go ahead.

Hardliner Saleh al Mutlak, who shares militant aims, said: “If we can agree with our brothers on a national patriotic project to ensure the unity of Iraq, we will be part of the government.”

The US ambassador, who coaxed and cajoled rival factions into a constitutional deal last year, called on Iraq’s sectarian and ethnic communities to come together now to form a government that includes all the main groups; Washington hopes consensus can staunch the bloodshed and let it bring its troops home. “Iraq’s political parties and their leaders must come together to reinforce their commitment to democratic principles and national unity,” said President George Bush’s envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, echoing the U.N. representative in Baghdad.

The final results gave the Alliance 128 seats, 10 short of retaining the slim majority it had in the interim assembly elected a year ago in a vote boycotted by most Sunnis, who won just 17 seats. The main Kurdish bloc won 53 seats and two Sunni groups shared 55.—Reuters