BAGHDAD: Iraqi officials say a suicide car bombing has targeted an army checkpoint in Baghdad, killing at least eight people.

A police officer says the bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into the checkpoint near a commercial area in the northern, Shia-dominated Shaab neighborhood of the Iraqi capital on Monday morning.

He says five civilians and three soldiers were killed and up to 14 people were wounded.

A medical official confirmed casualty figures. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to release information.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, which bore all the hallmarks of the militant Islamic State (IS) group.

The attack comes as Iraqi forces are poised to push into Fallujah to retake the city west of Baghdad from IS militants.