insurgents who have made major advances in the past week.
Parts of the city of Baquba - just 60km (37 miles) from Baghdad - were briefly taken over by the rebels.
Reports say 44 prisoners were killed during fighting at a police station in the city.http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27838034
Jihadist militants are strengthening their grip on northern and eastern areas of Iraq as they continue to press south to Baghdad.
Iraqi government forces have clashed with Sunni rebels, led by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) - an al-Qaeda breakaway - after they took control of a number of cities in a rapid advance.
