A fireman orders a resident to stay away from the scene of a car bomb attack in Baghdad yesterday. - Reuters

BAGHDAD (Reuters):

Bombs killed at least 28 people in Baghdad yesterday, but Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki vowed his new crackdown in Baghdad would leave militants nowhere to hide.

In a speech to parliament, Maliki urged politicians on all sides to support his security plan, backed by some 17,000 United States reinforcements, which is seen by many as a last chance to stem sectarian violence in the capital.

"There will be no safe haven - no school, no home, no (Sunni) mosque or Shi'ite mosque. They will all be raided if they are turned into a launchpad for terrorism, even the headquarters of political parties," he said.

Maliki said his determination had already borne fruit.

"I know that senior criminals have left Baghdad, others have fled the country. This is good, this shows that our message is being taken seriously," he said.

Some fear that militants may simply avoid confrontation in the crackdown, betting that eventually U.S. troops will leave.

"There is a ... concern they might be lying low, avoiding conflict now in order to fight another day," U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said on Wednesday.

Take on armed groups

Criticised for not doing enough about Shi'ite militias linked to some of his allies, Maliki has vowed to take on armed groups regardless of sect or political affiliation.

"We have worked hard to get professional officers to lead this plan with no political affiliations. So, let's all help these officers," he said, answering criticism that the Iraqi army and police are infiltrated by sectarian militias.

Washington has identified the Mehdi Army, a militia loyal to radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, as the greatest threat to security in Iraq and has warned that the success of Maliki's plan depends on him going after Shi'ite militias with as much determination as he deals with Sunni Arab insurgents.