Multiple blasts have left at least 18 Iraqi troops dead near the country’s central city of Ramadi held by the Takfiri ISIL terrorist group, officials say.

On Wednesday night, militants used an explosives-laden Humvee military vehicle to attack army and paramilitary forces near the city of Fallujah, which lies between the capital, Baghdad, and Ramadi, killing six forces and injuring four others, the officials said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officials also told Associated Press that bombers rammed Humvee vehicles, which were loaded with explosives, into security forces outside Anbar University on Wednesday morning.

The officials said 12 Iraqi troops lost their lives and eight others sustained injures in the incident.

Following Wednesday’s blasts, clashes also erupted southwest of Ramadi, killing 14 militants while leaving one soldier dead and eight others wounded, the officials added.

The development came three days after Iraqi special forces managed to recapture the University, located 5 kilometers (3 miles) south of Ramadi, the provincial capital of the Iraqi province of al-Anbar.

The Iraqi forces seized the university from the Takfiri ISIL militants as part of their operation aimed at liberating the restive province.

Ramadi fell into the hands of the ISIL in May when the Iraqi forces were concentrating on recapturing cities and districts north of the country.

Violence has plagued the northern and western parts of Iraq ever since the ISIL launched its deadly terror campaign in June 2014, and took control of portions of Iraqi territory.