ISIS Hates Being Called "Daesh." Here's Why.

#1 Downing Street are now urging people to call Islamic State terrorists 'Daesh' - but what is it and why do ISIS hate it?

#2

David Cameron wants people to start referring to Islamic State terrorists as 'Daesh'.

In June, Downing Street asked the BBC to refer to ISIS as 'Isil' - but they have now relabeled the terror group for the second time.

During a speech on Syria this afternoon, Cameron repeatedly referred to the terrorists as Daesh, a word ISIS despises that is being used with increasing frequency.

Many of us might not have heard the term 'Daesh' before - but you'll probably be hearing it much more often from now on.

#3 What does it mean?

Daesh is an acronym for the Arabic phrase al-Dawla al-Islamiya al-Iraq al-Sham (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).

Essentially, it's another word for ISIS - but apparently one that ISIS militants do not favour.

Why? Because it is similar to the Arabic words 'Daes', 'one who crushes something underfoot' and 'Dahes', translated as 'one who sows discord'.

#4

In January this year, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that he would begin referring to the Islamic State group by this name, saying: "Daesh hates being referred to by this term, and what they don't like has an instinctive appeal to me."

It seems that other world leaders have now followed suit, with French president Francois Hollande and the USA's secretary of state John Kerry both using the term.

#5

According to NBC, ISIS has reportedly threatened to 'cut out the tongues' of anyone it hears using the term.

Evan Kohlmann, a national security analyst, told NBC: "It's a derogatory term and not something people should use even if you dislike them."