Gaddafi forces strike back at Libya uprising

Foreign mercenaries and Libyan militiamen loyal to Muammar Gaddafi tried to roll back the uprising against his rule that has advanced closer to his stronghold in Tripoli, attacking two nearby cities in battles that killed at least 17 people. But rebels made new gains, seizing a military air base, as Gaddafi blamed Osama bin Laden for the upheaval.

The worst bloodshed was in Zawiya, 30 miles (50 kilometers) west of the capital Tripoli. An army unit loyal to Gaddafi opened fire with automatic weapons on a mosque where residents _ some armed with hunting rifles for protection - have been holding a sit-in to support protesters in the capital, a witness said. (AP)