Embassy row

Turkey renames street with US mission after Syrian offensive

Turkish military’s Operation Olive Branch against US-backed Kurdish militia has led to strained Ankara-Washington ties

By AP 19 February 2018, 5:23 pm 0 Edit

An Ankara municipality worker fixes the new street sign, "Olive Branch Street" in Turkish, named after Turkey's military operation to drive out the Syrian Kurdish militia of an enclave in northwest Syria, in Ankara, Turkey, on February 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish authorities renamed a street where the US Embassy sits on after Turkey’s military offensive in Syria that had led to tensions between the allies.

Ankara municipal workers on Monday took down the sign for Nevzat Tandogan Street and replaced it with one that reads “Olive Branch Street.”

Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch last month to drive a Syrian Kurdish militia out of northwest Syria. The militia group is a major US ally in fighting the Islamic State group. Turkey regards it as a terrorist organization.

The US State Department has said that it’s up to Turkish authorities to decide on street names.

In November, Turkey renamed the street where the United Arab Emirates has its embassy after a long-dead Ottoman military commander following a disputed tweet.