BAGHDAD, Feb 10: Iraq on Friday confirmed the Shia United Iraqi Alliance as the winner of December’s elections, finally paving the way for opening parliament and forming a new government.

Meanwhile, seven Iraqis were killed and 22 wounded in a car bomb attack near a Shia mosque in southern Baghad, an interior ministry official said.

Chief election commissioner Adel al-Lami read the final certified results, which were the same as provisional ones announced on Jan 20, 2006.

The final results for the 275-member parliament gave 128 seats to the conservative Shia alliance, 53 to the Kurdish Alliance, 44 to the religious Sunni-led National Concord Front and 25 to former premier Iyad Allawi’s Iraqi National List.

The remaining 25 seats are held by smaller parties. —AFP