Two US Servicemen Reported Missing In Morocco While Attending African Lion 2026 Military Exercise Rescue Op Underway

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Two US service members who participated in the annual multinational military exercise in Morocco have been reported missing in the southwestern part of the country, following which the US and its allied forces launched a search-and-rescue effort, AFP reported, citing officials on Sunday.

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the incident occurred on Saturday at the Cap Draa Training Area near Tan-Tan, a Moroccan city roughly 15 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.

AFRICOM, in a statement, said, "The incident remains under investigation, and the search is ongoing," and added that the rescue operation includes ground, air, and maritime assets.

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Morocco's armed forces on Facebook said, "Two US service members taking part in African Lion 2026 went missing" on Saturday evening, "near a cliff at Cap Draa in the Tan-Tan area," and added, "The Moroccan, American and other participating forces in the exercise... immediately launched coordinated search and rescue operations involving ground, air and maritime assets."

It remains unclear which branch or unit of the military the service members belonged to.

Citing a US Defense official, Reuters reported that their disappearance is not linked to terrorism and that the two service members likely fell into the ocean.

African Lion 2026

The servicemen who went missing attended the African Lion 2026 military exercise, which began late last month in the southern city of Agadir in Morocco, bringing together nearly 5,000 military personnel from more than 40 countries.

This year's edition runs from April 27 to May 8 across the four nations of Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia.

According to AP, the African Lion began in Tunisia with active-duty members of different branches of the US military, including the National Guard, Army Reserve, Air Force, and the Marine Corps.

In total, over 7,000 personnel are participating across the four host countries. The military exercise has been running since 2004 and is the largest US annual joint military exercise on the continent. It usually features high-ranking military officials from Washington and several of its top African allies.

Citing US military officials, AP reported that the African Lion serves as a venue to boost regional security cooperation and refine the readiness of participating forces for global crises.

Earlier in 2012, two US Marines were killed, and two others were injured after a helicopter crash in Morocco's southern city of Agadir while taking part in African Lion.

Rabat remains a key US ally in a volatile region. Since 2020, frustrated military leaders have ousted elected governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, citing failures to control violence, and have increasingly moved away from ties with Western nations.

This is a developing story. More details awaited.

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