The Islamic State (IS) militant group claimed responsibility for a suicide truck bomb blast that killed at least 47 people Sunday south of Baghdad.

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

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

The group claimed that the explosion had killed and wounded "more than 90" people. The attack was the deadliest bombing by IS in Iraq this year.