Two US service members are missing in south-western Morocco after taking part in annual multinational military exercises in the North African country, the United States Africa Command (Africom) said Sunday.
Search and Rescue Operation Underway
The US, Morocco and other countries participating in the African Lion exercise have launched a search and rescue operation, Africom confirmed. "The incident remains under investigation and the search is on-going," it said in a statement.
The incident occurred on 2 May near the Cap Draa training area close to Tan Tan, a city near the Atlantic Ocean. The war games exercise began in April and spans four countries, including Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal. It is scheduled to conclude in early May.
Background of African Lion Exercise
African Lion, which has been running since 2004, is the largest US annual joint military exercise on the continent. It typically features high-ranking military officials from the US and its top African allies. US military officials have stated that the annual multinational engagement serves as a platform for strengthening regional security cooperation and refining the readiness of participating forces for global crises.
