almotamar.net google - BAGHDAD -- Even as the U.S. was touting a successful initial push into a hostile Shiite neighborhood here, chaotic violence gripped other parts of the city and beyond today as a suicide bombing at a long-standing downtown book market killed 28 people and insurgent gunfire killed at least six Shiite pilgrims elsewhere in Iraq observing a religious holiday.

The incidents underscored the difficulty faced by U.S. and Iraqi forces as they try to stop sectarian violence and raised questions about how long certain factions would continue to comply with the latest security crackdown before taking revenge.

In its initial weeks, the joint crackdown has seen some limited early success, largely through securing the cooperation of Shiite leaders and the reduction of death squad murders undertaken by Shiite militias. But mass bomb attacks, which the U.S. views as largely the work of Sunni insurgents, continue to occur almost every day, and thus far the enhanced forces have been largely powerless to stop them.

Today, the U.S.-led military forces continued a new effort to establish security patrols in Sadr City, the Shiite slum district that is home to radical anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada Sadr and his Mahdi Army militia.

The operation has been one of the most delicate undertakings of the new security plan due to Sadr's political influence and fears that his militia might attack the incoming security forces. But no violence broke out on Sunday or today during daylight house-to-house weapons searches.

Elsewhere, attacks continued unabated.

Just before noon today, a suicide bomber targeted a cultural district in Baghdad that is home to a folklore museum and the al-Mutanabbi book market, detonating a sedan packed with explosives. The powerful bomb left wounded bystanders screaming and crying amid pools of blood and bodies. Notebooks and stationery, once products for sale, lay scattered over the area.

In addition to the 28 dead, police and health ministry officials said 76 people were injured.

"Destruction was everywhere," said Haydar Jassim, a 22-year-old who works at a nearby leather shoe store. "It was rush hour at that time, and many people were preparing themselves to do their noon prayers."

Namir Abdul-Kadhum, 42, who sells stationery from a roadside kiosk, was hit in the head and eye with flying shrapnel and also suffered a burned hand when the bomb exploded about 20 yards away. He lost consciousness and awoke at Kindy hospital, where he had been taken to treat his injuries.

"As I was at my stand, I felt and heard a powerful blast," he said. "I was pushed and thrown away."

Attacks on Shiite pilgrims, who were marking an anniversary of an imam's death, killed at least six and injured another 18.

In separate incidents, gunmen in a car and on a motorcycle shot at groups of pilgrims as they walked along roads in Baghdad, and in a third attack a suicide bomber walking among them detonated an explosion. In still another, gunmen fired on pilgrims from an orchard as they crossed a bridge.

"I saw the flags that the pilgrims were carrying thrown on the ground, and blood was everywhere," said Wissam Khadhum, a technician at a nearby oil refinery who saw the attack.

"I saw two men lying dead on the ground by the fire of the gunmen from the orchard areas, others injured, and some were safe," he said. "I also realized that the pilgrims were attacked after it was planned very well to shoot them when they reached that spot on the Dora Bridge, as it was somehow far from the checkpoints' vigilance."