"A suicide bomber wearing an explosive belt blew himself up close to stalls at the crowded Jamila market," said the senior police officer, who asked not to be named.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

A medical source confirmed that the nearby Al-Kindi hospital had received eight bodies.

The attack took place at around 9.00 PM (1800 GMT), at a time when many Iraqis have broken their Ramadan fast and take to the streets.

Devastated by years of conflict, Iraq in 2017 declared victory over Islamic State jihadists after a gruelling months-long campaign to dismantle their self-declared "caliphate".

But sleeper cells have remained active, attacking civilians and security forces across the country.

Explosions in several Shiite-majority districts in Iraq's capital in November killed six people, most of them civilians.

A twin suicide bombing in Baghdad in January last year killed 31 people, the second such attack in three days.