Two U.S. service members are missing after taking part in annual multinational military exercises in southwestern Morocco, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced on Sunday. A search and rescue operation has been launched by the U.S., Morocco, and other countries participating in the African Lion exercise.
AFRICOM stated that the incident remains under investigation and the search is ongoing. The disappearance occurred on May 2 near the Cap Draa Training Area close to Tan Tan, adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. The war games, which began in April, involve four countries including Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal, and are scheduled to conclude in early May.
African Lion, established in 2004, is the largest annual joint military exercise conducted by the U.S. on the African continent. It typically attracts high-ranking military officials from the U.S. and its key African allies. U.S. military officials have emphasized that this multinational engagement aims to enhance regional security cooperation and improve the readiness of participating forces to respond to global crises.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
