The daily Quotidien d'Oran reported two young men were killed in a bomb blast on Friday near the village of Sidi Chaib, 450km southwest of Algiers, a day after two members of a local, armed self-defence group were killed in the same area.

Those who voted did so for peace

Correspondents say these are the first attacks reported in the press since Thursday's overwhelming vote in favour of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's peace plan.

A leader of the country's main Islamic rebel group, the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), has welcomed the results of the referendum.

But Anwar Haddam, one of the FIS's leaders in exile who is in prison in the United States, said action had to be taken to end the influence of the Algerian military on the country's politics.

The referendum result showed the Algerian people wished "to heal the wounds and turn the page of the past dark decade," he said in a statement issued from prison.

"Action has to be taken to pull the military and the police establishment out of politics," he added.

Mr Haddam also called on Mr Bouteflika to revoke the ban on his party and release more FIS officials and supporters.

President's appeal and warning

On Friday Mr Bouteflika again appealed to Islamic militants to lay down their arms and join his national reconciliation initiative to end seven years of conflict. But he warned that those who reject his initiative will remain outside the law and must face retaliation.

There has been no official reaction from the FIS leadership to the referendum.

Jim Muir in Algeria: "Mr Bouteflika could hardly have hoped for a better set of figures."

Voters were asked: "Do you agree with the steps by the President of the Republic towards civil concord?". The government said more than 98% of those voting responded "yes".

On Sunday, the country's Constitutional Council confirmed the results.According to the Algerian electoral law, the results of the referendum must be approved by the council to make them the final and official outcome of the poll.

The total turnout was more than 85% of Algeria's population of 17.5 million, reflecting strong interest in areas badly hit by the violence. But it fell below 50% in eastern areas of the country - regarded as opposition strongholds.

With the main points of the civil reconciliation plan already enacted - a partial amnesty for Islamic militants - the turnout was seen as crucial to the president's credibility.

Seven-year conflict

The civil accord is aimed at ending seven years of bloody conflict with Islamist militants triggered by the suspension of elections in 1992 which the Islamists were poised to win.

Some rebels have started handing in weapons - many have refused

Under the law, those who have no blood on their hands will go free, though they may be put on probation for a period of time.

Those guilty of murder, rape or the placing of bombs will be prosecuted, but there will be no death penalty and no prison sentence longer than 20 years.

Hundreds of Islamists serving prison sentences have already been released - though many more remain behind bars, and many of the thousands who disappeared have not been freed or accounted for.