Septinsular Republic
In 1803, his father sent him with an army to fight the Souliotes. In 1806, following renewed conflict between the Ottomans and Russians, Veli Pasha was sent to attack the Septinsular Republic. Veli Pasha seized Vonitsa, Preveza and Butrint. Ali Pasha married Veli Pasha to his neighbour Ibrahim Pasha's daughter. Veli Pasha was sent to suppress the Serbian rebels in the sanjak of Smederevo (First Serbian Uprising).