In the newly formed Sanjak of Berat, which included the provinces of Vlora, Mallakastra, Skrapar and Përmet, Hysen Pasha Vrioni was assigned with the duty of Sanjakbey.

Demir aga Vlonjati, a religious poet of the time, tells that as "soon as the Turkish expeditions approached, all the people would flee from their home as if there was a ring of plague."

[3] Albanian peasants, mostly from southern Albania, reacted to the actions of Ottoman administration and in June 1847, their representatives met in Mesaplik.

In a memorandum sent to the Turkish sultan the participants declared that they would not send soldiers in the regular army, would not pay the new taxes and would also not accept the new administration.

[6] Contacts with Kolettis seem to have continued, since Gjoleka has received a large scale participation by Christian chieftains, Albanians and Greeks, in his movement.

[8] At the same time some 15,000 Ottoman forces under the Turkish marshal Mehmet Reshit Pasha were sent from Manastir to relieve the siege of Berat.

From Berat, the Ottoman army tried to enter the heart of the rebellion in the Kurvelesh region, from the Kuç pass where Gjoleka forces were concentrated.

Seeing the tough resistance, Mehmed Reshid Pasha declared an amnesty and invited all the leaders to meet him in Zhulat village.

Ottoman forces entered the regions of uprising and thousands of men were arrested and deported,[2] whereas Rrapo Hekali was sent to a prison in Manastir, where he was poisoned on December 30, 1847.