BAGHDAD, Aug 12: Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Sunday called upon senior leaders in Iraq's bitterly divided communities to hold crisis talks this week in an effort to save his fraying national unity government.

His latest attempt to bring the leaders of the warring communities under one roof came at a time when the American military declared that five more of its troops battling to bring security to war-torn Iraq had been killed.

“I have invited major political leaders to a meeting to discuss substantial matters,” Maliki said in a televised speech.

“Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow could be the first meeting for these leaders to discuss the political programme and important strategic problems,”the embattled Shiite premier said.

Seventeen ministerial posts in his government are empty or filled by members boycotting cabinet meetings amid protests by many parties, especially the main Sunni Arab bloc, at Maliki's faltering programme of national reconciliation.

Hopes that his so-called unity coalition can be saved now depend on the senior leadership of the rival parties cutting a new power-sharing deal that can convince the bitter Sunni minority to return to the fold.

Maliki, President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, and Vice President Adel Abdel Mahdi, another Shiite, are expected to attend the crisis summit.—AFP