Baghdad, Sep 14 (IANS): At least 12 IS militants were killed in clashes with security forces in Iraq's western province of Anbar, while a US-led coalition air strike destroyed a vehicle bomb factory, sources said.

Fierce clashes erupted in Fallujah University compound and the nearby Haiyakel area on Sunday, just south of the IS-held city of Fallujah, killed 12 IS militants and the destroyed several of their vehicles, Xinhua news agency reported.

Separately, international warplanes carried out an air strike on a house in central Fallujah believed to be a car bomb factory, destroying four car bombs inside and killing many IS militants, the source said citing intelligence reports.

Iraqi security forces and allied Hashd Shaabi paramilitary militias have been fighting for months to retake control of key cities and towns in Iraq's largest province from IS militants.

IS extremist group seized most of Anbar and tried to advance toward Baghdad.