The explosion of a sticky bomb planted on a car in a market area in the southern Iraqi town of al-Bathaa has killed at least 28 and injured 40 others, Press TV reported.

The death toll from the Wednesday explosion in al-Bathaa, 30 km (20 miles) west of Nassariya, is expected to rise, Reuters cited Akram al-Tamimi, media manager of the provincial council of Nassariya, as saying.

"Children and women are among the dead," al-Bathaa mayor Ali Fahad told AFP.

"We are now transporting the casualties to the General Hospital in Nasiriyah," he added.