In conjunction with the airstrikes, large-scale domestic operations were conducted by the General Directorate of Security and Gendarmerie in over 22 Turkish provinces.

Following the 2015 Suruç bombing, which targeted members of a group sympathetic to the Kurdish movement, militants of disputed affiliation killed two policemen in the town of Ceylanpınar, Şanlıurfa Province, in an act of retaliation against suspected collaboration between Turkey and ISIL.

Much of the airstrikes have been successful in hitting PKK populated areas, however many civilians have been killed as a result of the strikes.

[16] Before the operation, the Turkish government had pursued an internationally criticised policy of inaction against ISIL, opting out of the anti-ISIL coalition and refusing to allow the United States to use the strategic İncirlik Air Base for airstrikes against ISIL unless they also targeted the forces of Bashar al-Assad.

The Turkish policy of inaction contributed to the breakout of deadly riots in Northern Kurdistan, in protest against the government's refusal to intervene in ISIL's siege of Kobanî.

[19][20] On 20 July 2015, a bombing in the Turkish district of Suruç, allegedly perpetrated by the ISIL-linked Dokumacılar group, killed 32 young activists and injured over 100.

This was largely seen as a casus belli, which resulted in Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu taking the decision to begin active air operations against PKK and ISIL positions south of Turkey's border.

[citation needed][2][3] The airstrikes on Kurdish targets were heavily criticised by the PKK, which accused the government of ending the Solution process.

[29] At around 8pm local time on 24 July, attackers of unknown origin fired on F-16 fighter jets in Diyarbakır's main Air Base while they were taking off.

[30] As a result, police officers and soldiers secured the area while the jets continued to conduct their operation.