(111009) -- SIRTE, Oct. 9, 2011 (Xinhua) -- National Transitional Council fighters rest at the front line of Sirte, Libya, Oct. 8, 2011. A total of 17 fighters of Libya's ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) were killed and another 227 injured on Friday in battles for Sirte, hometown of the fallen leader Muammar Gaddafi, sources from a nearby field hospital told Xinhua Saturday. The NTC forces waged a major offensive towards Sirte on Friday, but encountered fierce resistance from the Gaddafi loyalists and suffered the largest casualties since battles for the town started. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)(ctt)