Azaz

The city was known in ancient times with different names: in Hurrian as Azazuwa, in Medieval Greek as Αζάζιον (Azázion), in Old Aramaic as Ḥzz (later evolved in Neo-Assyrian as Ḫazazu).

In excavations of the site of Tell Azaz, considerable quantities of ceramics from the early and middle Islamic periods were found.Eger, p. 88. Despite the importance of Azaz as indicated by archaeological finds, the settlement was rarely mentioned in Islamic texts prior to the 12th century. However, a visit to the town by the Muslim musician Ishaq al-Mawsili (767–850) gives some indication of Azaz's importance during Abbasid rule. The Hamdanids of Aleppo (945–1002) built a brick citadel at Azaz.Bylinsky 2004, p. 161. It was a square fortress with two enclosures, situated atop a tell.Deschamps 1973, p. 343.

On 10 August 1030, Tubbal near Azaz became the scene of a humiliating defeat of the Byzantine emperor Romanos III at the hands of the Mirdasids. In December of the same year, the Byzantine generals Niketas of Mistheia and Symeon besieged and captured Azaz, and burned Tubbal to the ground in retaliation.{{cite book | last=Halm | first=Heinz | author-link = Heinz Halm | title = Die Kalifen von Kairo: Die Fatimiden in Ägypten, 973–1074 | language = de | trans-title = The Caliphs of Cairo: The Fatimids in Egypt, 973–1074 | publisher = C. H. Beck | location = Munich | year = 2003 | isbn = 3-406-48654-1 | pages=341–342}}

During the Crusader era, Azaz, which was referred to in Crusader sources as "Hazart", became of particular strategic significance due to its topography and location, overlooking the surrounding region. In the hands of the Muslims, Azaz stymied communications between the Crusader states of Edessa and Antioch, while in Crusader hands it threatened the major Muslim city of Aleppo. Around December 1118, the Crusader prince Roger of Antioch and the Armenian prince Leo I besieged and captured Azaz from the Turcoman prince Ilghazi of Mardin.

In January 1124, Balak and Toghtekin, the Burid atabeg of Damascus, breached Azaz's defenses, but were repulsed by Crusader reinforcements. In April 1125, the Seljuk atabeg Aqsunqur al-Bursuqi of Mosul and Toghtekin invaded the Principality of Antioch and surrounded Azaz. In response, in May or June 1125, a 3,000-strong Crusader coalition commanded by King Baldwin II of Jerusalem confronted and defeated the 15,000-strong Muslim coalition at the Battle of Azaz, raising the siege of the town.Deschamps 1973, p. 344.

However, the Crusaders' strength in the region was dealt a blow following the Zengid capture of Edessa in 1144. Afterward, the other fortresses in the County of Edessa, including Azaz, gradually became neglected. In 1146, Humphrey II of Toron sent sixty knights to reinforce the garrison at Azaz. Despite its strong fortifications, the fortress of Azaz finally fell to the Muslims under the Zengid emir of Aleppo, Nur ad-Din in June 1150.

The Ayyubid emir of Aleppo, al-Aziz Uthman, rebuilt the earlier Hamdanid structure at Azaz with stone. During Ayyubid rule, in 1226, the local historian Yaqut al-Hamawi, described Azaz as a "fine town", referring to the settlement as "Dayr Tell Azaz". It was the center of a district bearing its name that also included the market towns or forts of Kafr Latha, Mannagh, Yabrin, Arfad, Tubbal and Innib. The Mamluk Sultanate ruled over the area from the 13th century. The Ottomans entered the area in 1516 with a victory at the Battle of Marj Dabiq. Azaz continued to be inhabited by Turkmen in the Ottoman era. It was a sanjak administrative division along with that of Kilis.[http://www.isam.org.tr/documents/_dosyalar/_pdfler/.../2000_20_YILMAZF.pdf "He received the odjaklik revenues of the sanjaks of Kilis and Azaz," p29. The Journal of Ottoman Studies, 2000.]{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} After the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century, the new Syria-Turkey border ran just north of Azaz. The town was first part of the French colonial empire's Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon and, from 1946, the independent state of Syria.

File:Azaz, Syria.jpg 2012]]

On 19 July 2012, during the Syrian civil war, rebels opposed to the Syrian government succeeded in capturing the town.[http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/19/227308.html "Syrian TV shows images of Assad as battles rage on for control of Damascus"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120720081322/http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/19/227308.html |date=2012-07-20 }}, Al-Arabiya News The town is highly valued as a logistical supply route close to the Turkish–Syrian border.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant took control of Azaz in October 2013, but withdrew from the city in February 2014 after having been cut off from the rest of its territory.{{cite news|last1=Holmes|first1=Oliver|title=Al Qaeda splinter group withdraws from Syrian town near Turkey|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-azaz-idUSBREA1R0EJ20140228|access-date=10 November 2016|work=Reuters|date=28 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312082615/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-azaz-idUSBREA1R0EJ20140228|archive-date=12 March 2016|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Chulov|first1=Martin|title=Azaz: the border town that is ground zero in Syria's civil war|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/21/azaz-syria-turkey-russia-kurds|website=The Guardian|date=21 February 2016|publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited|access-date=10 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109184527/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/21/azaz-syria-turkey-russia-kurds|archive-date=9 November 2016|url-status=live}}

Following the departure of ISIL, Azaz was left under the control of Northern Storm, a brigade under the authority of the Islamic Front, nominally a part of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) at that time.{{cite journal |url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Dec-17/241361-fsa-alliance-pushes-back-against-islamic-front.ashx |title=FSA alliance pushes back against Islamic Front |journal=Daily Star |last=Dick |first=Marlin |date=17 December 2013 |access-date=8 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328104723/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Dec-17/241361-fsa-alliance-pushes-back-against-islamic-front.ashx |archive-date=28 March 2019 |url-status=live }} A Sharia Committee was responsible for the administration of sharia law, and was policed by the Northern Storm brigade. A Civil Council governed the field of public services.{{cite web|url=http://www.aymennjawad.org/15865/special-report-northern-storm-and-the-situation|title=Special Report: Northern Storm and the Situation in Azaz (Syria)|publisher=MERIA Journal|date=7 January 2015|access-date=8 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524032336/http://www.aymennjawad.org/15865/special-report-northern-storm-and-the-situation|archive-date=24 May 2019|url-status=live}} During its northern offensive in 2015, ISIL approached Azaz, but fell short of directly assaulting the city; taking Kafra and surrounding territory.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/battle-for-azaz-isis-threatens-yet-another-city-as-fighting-reaches-crucial-turkey-border-crossing-10289708.html|title=Battle for Azaz: Isis threatens yet another city as fighting reaches crucial Turkey border crossing|author=Adam Withnall|date=1 June 2015|work=The Independent|access-date=28 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430055749/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/battle-for-azaz-isis-threatens-yet-another-city-as-fighting-reaches-crucial-turkey-border-crossing-10289708.html|archive-date=30 April 2018|url-status=live}} While regular ISIL forces were finally expelled from the Aleppo Governorate in October 2016, the January 2017 Azaz bombing was attributed to ISIL.

In January 2015, al-Nusra Front had a limited presence in the town and controlled one mosque. By October 2015, the control of the town was shared between Al-Nusra and a brigade of the FSA.[http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/10/kurdish-leader-pyd-russia-support-syria.html Syrian Kurdish leader: Moscow wants to work with us] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011185310/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/10/kurdish-leader-pyd-russia-support-syria.html |date=2015-10-11 }} Al Monitor, 8 October 2015

Turkey began organising Turkmen militia bases in Azaz during the People's Protection Units (YPG) advance against rebels in February 2016, in order to prevent the Kurdish YPG from obtaining a land bridge between the Afrin and Kobanî Cantons.{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.plymouth.ac.uk/dcss/2015/08/26/turkish-army-allow-turkmen-militia-to-enter-northern-syria-and-establish-a-base-near-the-border/|title = Turkish Army Allow Turkmen Militia to Enter Northern Syria and Establish a Base Near the Border|date = 26 August 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Banco|first1=Erin|title=Turkey, US, Syrian ISIS-Free Safe Zone: Turkmen Brigades Move Into Syria, Al-Nusra Moves Out, Soldiers Say|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/turkey-us-syrian-isis-free-safe-zone-turkmen-brigades-move-syria-al-nusra-moves-out-2048836|access-date=10 November 2016|work=International Business Times|date=8 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111060953/http://www.ibtimes.com/turkey-us-syrian-isis-free-safe-zone-turkmen-brigades-move-syria-al-nusra-moves-out-2048836|archive-date=11 November 2016|url-status=live}} The Turkish government declared Azaz to be a "red line" which Kurdish forces must not cross.{{cite web|last1=Deniz Serinci|title=Rebels claim Kurdish force will 'change 'demographic balance' in Syria's Azaz region|url=http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/250220164|publisher=Rudaw Media Network|access-date=10 November 2016|date=25 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110235423/http://rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/250220164|archive-date=10 November 2016|url-status=live}} Azaz became one of the first towns to come under the Turkish occupation of northern Syria during the 2016 Operation Euphrates Shield. By late 2017, Azaz was the headquarters of the Syrian Interim Government.{{cite web | title=Turkey's Idlib Incursion and the HTS Question: Understanding the Long Game in Syria | author=Charles Lister | website=War on the Rocks | date=31 October 2017 | url=https://warontherocks.com/2017/10/turkeys-idlib-incursion-and-the-hts-question-understanding-the-long-game-in-syria/ | access-date=8 May 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604170519/https://warontherocks.com/2017/10/turkeys-idlib-incursion-and-the-hts-question-understanding-the-long-game-in-syria/ | archive-date=4 June 2019 | url-status=live }}{{cite web | last=al-Khateb | first=Khaled | title=Idlib still wary of attack despite Turkish-Russian agreement | website=Al-Monitor | url=https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/09/idlib-syrian-regime-turkey-russia-buffer-zone-agreement.html | access-date=8 May 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508082603/https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/09/idlib-syrian-regime-turkey-russia-buffer-zone-agreement.html | archive-date=8 May 2019 | url-status=live }}

Azaz has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa).

{{Weather box|width=auto

|metric first=y

|single line=y

|location = Azaz, elevation {{convert|555|m|ft|abbr=on}}

|Jan high C = 9.1

|Feb high C = 10.8

|Mar high C = 15.1

|Apr high C = 20.7

|May high C = 26.7

|Jun high C = 32.0

|Jul high C = 34.5

|Aug high C = 34.7

|Sep high C = 31.0

|Oct high C = 25.5

|Nov high C = 17.6

|Dec high C = 10.8

| year high C =

|Jan mean C = 5.3

|Feb mean C = 6.5

|Mar mean C = 10.0

|Apr mean C = 14.6

|May mean C = 19.7

|Jun mean C = 24.6

|Jul mean C = 27.0

|Aug mean C = 27.2

|Sep mean C = 24.1

|Oct mean C = 19.1

|Nov mean C = 12.5

|Dec mean C = 7.0

| year mean C =

|Jan low C = 1.3

|Feb low C = 2.2

|Mar low C = 4.8

|Apr low C = 8.6

|May low C = 12.8

|Jun low C = 17.2

|Jul low C = 19.5

|Aug low C = 19.7

|Sep low C = 17.2

|Oct low C = 12.8

|Nov low C = 7.5

|Dec low C = 3.5

| year low C =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 89

|Feb precipitation mm = 82

|Mar precipitation mm = 68

|Apr precipitation mm = 44

|May precipitation mm = 22

|Jun precipitation mm = 3

|Jul precipitation mm = 1

|Aug precipitation mm = 1

|Sep precipitation mm = 4

|Oct precipitation mm = 22

|Nov precipitation mm = 44

|Dec precipitation mm = 89

|year precipitation mm =

| source 1 = FAO{{cite web

| url = https://www.fao.org/land-water/land/land-governance/land-resources-planning-toolbox/category/details/fr/c/1028000/

| title = World-wide Agroclimatic Data of FAO (FAOCLIM)

| publisher= Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations

| access-date = 21 December 2024}}

}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book|last1=Bylinski|first1=Janusz|editor1-last=Faucherre|editor1-first=Nicolas|editor2-last=Mesqui|editor2-first=Jean|editor3-last=Prouteau|editor3-first=Nicolas|title=La fortification au temps des croisades|date=2004|publisher=Presses universitaires Rennes|isbn=978-2-86847-944-0|chapter=Three Minor Fortresses in the Realm of the Ayyubid Rulers of Homs in Syria: Shumaimis, Tadmur (Palmyra) and al-Rahba}}
• {{cite book|last1=Deschamps|first1=Paul|title=Les châteaux des Croisés en terre sainte III: la défense du comté de Tripoli et de la principauté d'Antioche|date=1973|publisher=Librairie Orientaliste Paul Geuthner|location=Paris|language=fr}}

{{refend}}

{{Aleppo Governorate|azaz}}

{{Cities of Syria}}

Category:Cities in Syria

Category:Populated places in Azaz District

Category:Towns in Aleppo Governorate