After the air raids, Turkey launched an operation against the PKK, with 2,500 commandos, backed by APCs, helicopters, and aircraft.

[6][13] As a result of the operation, Hakurk Camp was not getting any support from other regions inside Iraq so they were running out of men and supplies, PKK commanders also found it increasingly difficult to communicate with Abdullah Öcalan, who was in Syria at the time.

Therefore, his brother Osman Öcalan agreed to meet with Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Fuad Masum on October 30 to negotiate.

The negotiations were supported by Faruk Bozkur but were opposed by Murat Karayılan, which were the two other main commanders in northern Iraq.

[6] A buffer zone between Iraq and Turkey was to be created to prevent further PKK activities, however, according to Turkish officials this did not happen due to a lack of cooperation from the KRG.