BAGHDAD, March 7: Shia pilgrims braved a deadly gauntlet of sectarian attacks on Wednesday, amid fears that a backlash against Sunnis could undermine the US-led Baghdad security plan.Six policemen deployed to protect the pilgrims' march were killed by a car bomb and 18 Iraqi civilians died in attacks one day after suicide bombers slaughtered at least 117 pilgrims in Hilla, south of the capital.

Brandishing flags and copies of the Holy Quran, marchers forged on through Sunni districts of Baghdad braving sniper attacks, while police chanting Shiite slogans gave them covering fire.

“After every kind of attack, we're concerned about restarting the cycle of sectarian violence,” said US spokesman Lt. Col Chris Garver.“So we hope that people remain calm and don't play into the terrorists' hands by restarting the cycle, and let the Iraqi security forces do their job.”—AFP