On July 30, the Turkish army set fire to large areas in Hozat district in the province of Dersim as part of an operation against the guerrillas. The fire has now raged for five days and is not being extinguished. The entire region, including the villages within it, has been declared a restricted military area. The governor has banned entry into all forest areas around Dersim, Hozat, Ovacık, Pülümür, Nazımiye and Mazgırt until September 1. Representatives of political parties and civil society organizations are also prevented from entering the affected area.

Many grazing areas and villages are affected by the ban. Earlier, the guerrillas hit a military base near Armutka.