Turska je međutim bila u mogućnosti vršiti djelotvorne protivnapade na pobunjenike i prijetnja je suzbijena. 1999. godine je u Keniji uhvaćen Ocalan, i većina njegovih militanata povukla se iz Turske ka sjeveru Iraka.
Turkey, however, was able to carry out effective counterinsurgency operations and the threat was contained. In 1999, Ocalan was captured in Kenya, and most of his militants withdrew from Turkey to northern Iraq.