Azzan (Arabic عزان‎; English Azzan) is an ancient city in southern Yemen, located about 125 km southeast of the provincial capital of Ataq, and about 135 km from the port city of Al-Mukalla. Azzan is a neighbor of the city of Habban and one of the most picturesque towns in Shabwa Governorate, with tall mud houses painted white with lime and surrounded by palm trees. A dirt road passes through the city, connecting the cities of El Beida – Habban – Bir Ali – El Mukalla. Once upon a time, caravans from Oman to the Mediterranean Sea followed this important route called the Way of Incense. Azzan was an important waypoint and market then, but today it has lost that importance.

The climate in Azzan is dry, desert dependent, with very high summer temperatures close to reaching 50 degrees Celsius.

History of the city
Capital of Wahidi Azzan Sultanate
In the past, Azzan was in the territory of the Wahid Sultanate of Balhaf (sometimes simply the Wahidi Sultanate) with the capital of Habban. In 1830, after the reign of Sultan Abdullah bin Ahmad al-Wahidi (1810-1830), the single sultanate was divided among his relatives into four parts:
Sultanate of Wahidi Balhaf
Wahidi Azzan Sultanate with Azzan as its capital
Vilayet Wahidi Bir Ali Amakin with its capital in Bir Ali
Wahidi Habban Sultanate.
After that, a gradual reverse process began: already on May 4, 1881, when Sultan Abdullah Umar became the head of the Wahidi Balhaf Sultanate, the Wahidi Azzan and Wahidi Balhaf sultanates merged into one Balhaf wa Azzan Al-Wahidi sultanate.

The Age of Al-Qaeda
June 1, 2011 – Al-Qaeda Mujahideen in Yemen occupied the new large city of Azzan, located in Yemen’s southeastern province of Shabwa. The city of Azzan is located in the south of the province between the cities of Ar-Rawda and Mayfaa. “After fierce battles with government forces, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) managed to capture the entire city of Azzan, located in the southeastern province of Shabwa, on June 1, 2001, they announced that the city of Azzan joins their Islamic Emirate’, said one of the local officials. Some tribal leaders, as well as local residents, confirmed the news in phone conversations with Xinhua News Agency reporters. The tribal leaders said that al-Qaeda mujahideen are currently very active due to the weak presence of security forces that have been deployed to major cities to quell protests and tribal riots.
10 June 2011 – Residents of Shabwa governorate said that al-Qaeda mujahideen, as well as local volunteers, set up several checkpoints on the way to nearby Hadhramawt governorate. In addition, the cities of Ravda, Azzan and Havta are under the control of al-Qaeda fighters.