'Burn Isis Flag Challenge' Goes Viral in Arab World

A social media viral campaign has sprung up in the Arab world that involves burning the Isis flag.

The trend started after three Lebanese youths posted pictures of them burning the flag associated with the militant group, also known as Islamic State, in the middle of Sassine Square in Beirut.

Soon afterwards, a Lebanese YouTube user uploaded a video of himself burning a flag. Similar to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in which people choose others to their do own videos, the user nominated "the whole world " to take part in the #BurnISISFlagChallenge.

The campaign soon went viral, especially in Lebanon following the beheading of one of the country's soldiers by IS.

However, some are not happy with the protest campaign and are calling for those found burning the flag to face the "sternest punishments upon them".

Lebanon's justice minister Ashraf Rifi accused the three who burnt the flag at Sassine Square of insulting Islam since their banner featured the words: "There is no god but God and Muhammad is his Prophet," written on it. Rifi said this "has nothing to do with Isis and its terrorist approach," reported Asharq Al-Awsat.

Nabil Naqoula, a member of Lebanon's Change and Reform parliamentary group, dismissed Rifi's suggestions the group intended to insult Islam.

He said: "The youths who burned the Isis flag did not mean to insult the Islamic religion", adding that "this flag does not represent Islam in the slightest".

US president Barack Obama and prime minister David Cameron have said they will use the Nato summit in Wales to discuss with other world leaders, especially from the Middle east, how they can "squeeze out" IS.