Islamic State militants are planting bombs near front doors in Mosul to prevent civilians leaving, as Iraqi forces make their final push against the jihadists after seven months of fighting.<br/><br/>A Federal Police Commander today said, the militants, trapped in a shrinking area of the city, are increasingly using the several hundred thousand civilians under their control as human shields to avoid being targeted. <br/><br/>Backed by a US-led coalition, Iraqi forces have made rapid gains since opening a new front in northwest Mosul this month.<br/><br/>However, the militants still control the Old City.<br/><br/>Lieutenant-General Abdul Ghani al-Assadi told state TV that <br/>the militants had deployed 30 suicide car bombs against his troops in Mosul over the past two days.