THANKS, but no thanks.

That was the overwhelming response from an army of tongue-in-cheek Twitter users to the Islamic State leader’s latest call for Muslims to join the group in Iraq and Syria as the militants struggle to combat enemy forces on the ground.

On Sunday a Twitter account linked to the terrorist group released a 24-minute audio recording of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s latest propaganda offensive. In the message the IS leader assured the group’s supporters all was well despite being under siege and on the back foot in the Iraqi city of Ramadi.

ISIS's leader's message is basically "everything is OK despite everyone ganging up on us". — Iyad El-Baghdadi (@iyad_elbaghdadi) December 26, 2015

In his first public transmission since May, he also said the group was surrounded by enemies and called on those abroad to join the fight in the Middle East.

“We urgently call upon every Muslim to join the fight, especially those in the land of the two shrines rise,” al-Baghdadi pleaded in the recording, according to Muslim activist Iyad El-Baghdadi who posted English translations online.

However when implored to trade in their end-of-year holiday for one of the world’s most violent war zones, many Muslims didn’t quite see the pay-off.

Instead many said they would prefer to go shopping, to the beach or see the new Star Wars movie.

@iyad_elbaghdadi The Boxing Day Sales are on, don't you remember! — john cooke (@logicandmagic) December 26, 2015

Sorry mate, I don't want to risk dying before the next Star Wars comes out. https://t.co/vvnbXmsMfK — Mohsin Arain (@MohsinArain91) December 27, 2015

@iyad_elbaghdadi Nah, I prefer to sleep in and binge watch shows on Netflix. — Mohammad Usman Aijaz (@muaijaz) December 28, 2015

Sorry #ISIS. This Muslim is just waking up. Needs coffee. Also, it's Christmas weekend family time. Run along now. https://t.co/gUODLPdDy6 — Salman Anees Soz (@SalmanSoz) December 26, 2015

@iyad_elbaghdadi I wanna wait until April and find out what happened to Jon Snow — Hind Al-Sulaiti (@hsulaiti) December 27, 2015

@iyad_elbaghdadi My dad said I have to be home by 8pm. Will we be done by then? — Guidance of God (@guidanceofgod) December 27, 2015

@iyad_elbaghdadi Sorry man, but i have to celebrate the new year with friends 🍻 🍸 and busy with organising a party 🎉. Maybe later 🔫 :p — Maiwand (@najibsamehgmail) December 28, 2015

Even those who weren’t extended an invitation offered a helping hand — albeit a similarly sarcastic one.

@iyad_elbaghdadi I'm not Muslim but I'm giving up drinking for January so need something to do. I'm not very outdoorsy though, is that ok? — tom fawcett (@tomjy85) December 26, 2015

@iyad_elbaghdadi Oh, dude, can I join? I'm actually an infidel, but I've nearly finished Fallout 4 so I'm going to have loads of time free — Joel (@Sliceofdog) December 28, 2015

The impromptu torrent of amateur comedians poking fun at the group comes as the Jihadists lose control of the strategically important city of Ramadi.

Iraqi forces declared the city of Ramadi liberated from the Islamic State group Monday and raised the national flag over its government complex after clinching the landmark victory.

The city had been in control of IS since May.

The United States praised the “tremendous perseverance” of Iraqi forces in reclaiming the city while Britain said IS was driven out with support from its air force.

French President Francois Hollande called the liberation of Ramadi the “most important victory yet” in the fight against the jihadists.

General Lloyd Austin, head of US Central Command, which is overseeing the US role in the campaign against IS, said Ramadi’s fall “clearly demonstrates that the enemy is losing momentum as they steadily cede territory”.

IS had an estimated force of about 400 fighters to defend central Ramadi a week ago. It is unclear how many were killed and how many fled.

Officials said IS used civilians as human shields to escape the battle when it became clear their last stand in Ramadi was doomed.

But after recapturing the city, Iraqi forces are being careful not to rush into the territory before sweeping the outskirts for potential pockets of jihadists and booby traps.

“Daesh (IS) has planted more than 300 explosive devices on the roads and in the buildings of the government complex,” an Iraqi army officer told the AFP.

MOSUL NEXT?

Iraq has not divulged any casualty figures for federal forces during the offensive to recapture the city but medics said close to 100 government fighters were brought to Baghdad hospitals on Sunday (Monday AEDT) alone.

“The dead bodies are taken directly to the main military hospital” near the airport, said one hospital source, explaining why a precise death toll was not known.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi congratulated the fighters who retook Ramadi, vowing to liberate the second city of Mosul and rid the entire country of IS in 2016.

“2016 will be the year of the big and final victory, when Daesh’s presence in Iraq will be terminated,” Abadi said in a speech broadcast on state television, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State that the hardline group rejects.

“We are coming to liberate Mosul and it will be the fatal and final blow to Daesh,” he added. Mosul, northern Iraq’s main city, is by far the largest population centre in the self-proclaimed caliphate Islamic State rules in Iraq and Syria.