The ISIS has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack at a police checkpoint in Iraq, killing at least 60 people and wounding dozens more.

Responsibility was claimed in a posting on the website of the Amaq news agency, which supports the terrorist organisation. "A operation with a truck bomb hit the Babylon Ruins checkpoint at the entrance of the city of Hilla, killing and wounding dozens," a statement on the website said.

The attacker struck shortly after noon when the checkpoint at one of the entrances to the city of Hilla was crowded with dozens of cars, a police officer said. Around 39 of the fatalities are believed to be civilians.

In a statement posted on social media, Isis named the bomber who detonated his explosives-laden truck at a checkpoint as Abu Islam al-Ansari.

"The Rafidha [a derogatory term for Shiites] must understand that the battle has just begun and that the worst is yet to come," the statement said.

"It's the largest bombing in the province to date," Falah al-Radhi, the head of the provincial security committee said. "The checkpoint, the nearby police station were destroyed as well as some houses and dozens of cars."