After the large Kurdish rebellions in early to mid 20th Century, the Koçkiri rebellion, Sheikh Said rebellion, Ararat rebellion and Dersim rebellion occurred in 1990 in the Southeast Anatolian town Nusaybin near the border to Syria the first violent action by the populace against police officers and state institutions.
Since the major riots in 1990 rebellions sometimes occur sporadically, especially after liquidation of PKK fighters, 21 March (Newroz) for the year or 27 November (date of establishment of the PKK) for the year.