Shabwah Governorate offensive (2014–present)

Despite the AQAP not being present in the Habban District, the first violent events reported in the mid-March 2014, when three AQAP militants were reported killed while setting up a car as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED). According to tribal sources, the explosion occurred near the house of the al Qaeda commander of the Sabban, Yasser al Marouh. Yemeni security forces were able to identify the three militants killed and said that two were Yemeni and one was a Saudi national. The house was severely damaged by the blast but is not confirmed if the commander he was present when it happened. They also reported that two bystanders were injured by the explosion and were rushed to Azzan Hospital in the province. One additional bystander was killed. Sources in the Yemeni security services told Arabic news outlets that they assumed the VBIED was being set up for use in an operation targeting Yemeni military or security personnel. They stated that Shabwa, Hadramawt, Abyan, and Al Bayda provinces have been battlegrounds for an open war between al Qaeda and Yemeni security personnel that has lasted for over two years and caused the deaths of hundreds.[7] In early August, 2014, fierce fighting broke out in Habban and in the Shabwan border with Hadramaut, wits is left 12 Yemeni soldiers and 9 AQAP soldiers dead.[5][6] In September 1,AQAP attacked government troops in Azzan killing 13 and wounding another 40. No AQAP fighters killed during the fight.[8] At the beginning of the Yemeni civil war in middle of 2015, AQAP fully captured Habban expelling Yemeni loyals to Hadi out of the city. In April 17 of 2015, 2 AQAP fighters have killed by a US airstrike in the town of Habban.[9] 4 AQAP fighters killed in Shabwah after a US drone strike, in 3 March 2016.[10] In October 6, 2016, a US airstrike killed 2 AQ operatives.[11]

On February 1, 2016, AQAP captured Azzan, without resistance by the population or the Yemeni army. AQAP then began to establish Sharia law like they did previously in the town of Zinjibar, Jaar and another unspecified town. Reports said that AQAP executed some civilians that allegedly committed adultery.[9][12][13][14][15] In 30 March 2016, a suspected US drone strike, killed 4 AQAP soldiers that manned a checkpoint around the outskirts of Azzan.[16]

A reported U.S. airstrike killed four AQAP militants in al Aqlah on February 20, 2016.[20] In March 4, another drone strike killed 4 AQAP fighter.[21] A reported U.S. airstrike killed three suspected al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants in the Markhat Bahyan area in northwestern Shabwah governorate on April 28.[22][23] In 2 of March 2017, several US drone strikes killed 4 AQAP fighters in Shabwah's rural areas.[24] A day after, US airstrikes killed some 12 AQAP fighters and wounded civilians in Wadi Yashbum village. The dozens of strikes were targeting the compound of the supreme commander(Emir) Sa’ad bin ‘Atef al Awlaki of Shabwah for AQAP. The whereabouts of Atef are unknown. Abdullah Al-Fadhli, son of Al-Qaeda warlord, Sheikh Tareq Al-Fadhli, killed by the airstrikes.[25] In the same night in the same village, is reported that US soldiers landed by helicopters and had a gunfight with AQAP's fighters for 30 minutes after retreating from the place with their helicopters.[26]