Two US Army Soldiers Missing During African Lion Exercise in Morocco
Search and rescue operation underway near Cap Draa Training Area; incident under investigation
Quick Look
- Two US Army soldiers are missing in southwestern Morocco after disappearing during a recreational hike following the conclusion of the African Lion annual multinational military exercises.
- The incident occurred Saturday around 9pm near Cap Draa Training Area close to Tan Tan.
- US, Moroccan and other participating forces have launched a joint search and rescue operation involving helicopters, ships, mountain rescue units and divers.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
African Lion is an annual multinational military exercise conducted in Morocco involving US, Moroccan and other allied forces. The exercise typically includes desert warfare training and joint operational exercises.
Two US service members are missing in southwestern Morocco after taking part in annual multinational military exercises in the North African country, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) said on Sunday. The service members are US Army soldiers who went missing while on a hike, a US defence official told Associated Press on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to speak publicly about the issue. "They were not actively taking part in any training. The day’s exercises had concluded and, from our understanding, they were out on a recreational hike," the official said. AFRICOM said the US, Morocco and other countries involved in the African Lion exercise have launched a search and rescue operation. "The incident remains under investigation and the search is ongoing," it said in a statement. The incident happened on Saturday at around 9pm, the Moroccan military said, near the Cap Draa Training Area near Tan Tan, close to the Atlantic Ocean. The terrain is mountainous, a mix of desert and semi-desert plains. The search team includes helicopters, ships, mountain rescue units and divers, the defence official said.
Open Questions
- What specific circumstances led to the soldiers going missing
- What is the current status of the search and rescue operation
- Were the soldiers properly equipped for the hike
- What safety protocols were in place
