(CNN) -- Violence erupted across Iraq on Saturday, with dozens of killings reported in shellings, bombings and shootings, authorities said. Most of the deaths occurred in Anbar province, the Sunni region west of Baghdad where security forces have been squaring off with anti-government fighters. Soldiers shelled and bombed parts of Falluja, killing 17 people and wounding 21 others, health officials said. This comes as Iraq's military embarks on a large-scale operation to regain control of the city. Military action, which included the bombing of mosques and houses in Falluja, sparked an exodus of thousands of residents fleeing the fighting, the officials said.
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NEW: Falluja fighting sparks a large exodus
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Violence reported in Ramadi
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A rash of bombings killed several people
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Iraq has been wracked with sectarian violence
In the @placeholder capital of Ramadi, two police officers told CNN that Iraqi security forces killed more than 30 anti-government fighters.