"We signed a request to rename Nevzat Tandogan Street, where the US embassy is located, as Olive Branch Street. The initiative will be introduced for consideration at Ankara’s municipal assembly today," Mustafa Tuna wrote on his Twitter page.
ABD Büyükelçiği önünde bulunan Nevzat Tandoğan Caddesinin adını “Zeytin Dalı” olarak değiştirmek için gerekli teklifi imzaladık. Bu akşam Ankara Büyükşehir Meclisimize başkanlık önergesini sunacağız.
— Doç. Dr. Mustafa TUNA (@mustafatuna0606) February 12, 2018
Hayırlı olsun, aziz şehitlerimizin ruhu şad olsun. pic.twitter.com/qXHlEvdmD9
The statement was made amid rising tensions in Turkish-US relations caused by Ankara’s discontent with Washington’s support for Kurdish units operating in northern Syria. Last week, a senior State Department official said that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would seek to put an end to Olive Branch Operation.
READ MORE: UN Demands Halt to Turkey Military Targeting Water Supplies in Syria — Spokesman
Operation Olive Branch in Afrin was started on January 20. Afrin is controlled by the US-backed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which are considered by Ankara to be affiliates of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), designated as a terrorist organization in Turkey and several other countries.