Throughout the course of his guerrilla activities, he would compose revolutionary poems that combined naturalistic texts with nationalist themes, often in the form of folk poetry.

After he returned from Kosovo, Sali Butka, together with Tajar Tetova, organised a large meeting in the village of Frashër with the main leaders of Albanian revolutionary bands in southern Albania.

On the way to the meeting, Sali's band was ambushed by Ottoman forces in the gorge of Rrungaja, and his second son, Iljaz, was killed and declared a martyr of Albania.

Ismail Qemali, who was at that time the Prime Minister of Albania, took note of Butka's efforts in defending the southern Albanian regions and supporting the government of Vlorë.

Qemali invited him to Vlorë, and the government subsequently tasked Butka with defending Vlora from the Ottoman Turk forces of Xhavit Pasha.

Meanwhile, the Venizelos Movement of National Defence was unable to dispatch reinforcements to the region, and French General Sarrail strategically demanded the withdrawal of the local Greek garrison.

During the Balkan Campaign of World War I, several warrior groups of Albanian Tosks and Ghegs supported with their activity the armed operations of the Central Powers in the region.