Two U.S. service members missing in Morocco following annual military exercises
Summary
Two U.S. Army soldiers went missing in southwestern Morocco after taking part in annual multinational military exercises. A joint search involving U.S. and Moroccan forces is ongoing to find them near a training area by the Atlantic Ocean.Key Facts
- The soldiers disappeared while hiking after the day’s military exercises had ended.
- The missing service members were part of the African Lion exercise, a large annual military event involving more than 7,000 personnel from over 30 nations.
- The incident happened on Saturday night near the Cap Draa Training Area, which is mountainous with desert and semi-desert terrain.
- U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Moroccan forces launched a search and rescue operation using helicopters, ships, mountain units, and divers.
- African Lion exercises began in Tunisia and continue in Tunisia, Ghana, Senegal, and Morocco, meant to improve regional security and military readiness.
- The exercise has been held since 2004 and often includes top military officials from the U.S. and African countries.
- Morocco is an important U.S. ally in the region, which has seen recent military coups in neighboring countries distancing from Western powers.
- In 2012, a similar African Lion exercise resulted in U.S. Marine casualties in Morocco due to a helicopter crash.
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