Developments in Iraq on May 19

May 19 (Reuters) - The following are security and political developments in Iraq on Friday as of 0700 GMT.

Iraq is trying to form a government of national unity to combat a mostly Sunni Arab insurgency.

NEAR KIRKUK - The corpse of an unidentified man with gunshot wounds and bearing signs of torture was found 10 km (six miles) from the northern town of Kirkuk, police said.

BAGHDAD - Police Lieutenant Colonel Khairalla Abdul Zahra escaped death when a roadside bomb exploded near his home in the eastern New Baghdad district, police said. Five members of his family were wounded. When police arrived at the scene, a second bomb went off, without causing further injuries.

BAGHDAD - Three policemen were wounded when their patrol was struck by a roadside bomb in western Baghdad, police said.

KIRKUK - Mohammed al-Iqabi, an employee of the northern state-oil company, was gunned down on Thursday night in the rich-oil city of Kirkuk, police said on Friday.

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS

BAGHDAD - Iraqi leaders are closing in on a deal to form a national unity government but negotiators said a host of names were still being discussed for key posts.