Two US Service Members Missing in Southwestern Morocco After Military Exercise
US Army soldiers disappeared during a recreational hike following the conclusion of the African Lion multinational drills; joint US-Moroccan search operation underway
Quick Look
- Two US Army soldiers have gone missing in southwestern Morocco while on a recreational hike after participating in the annual African Lion military exercises.
- A joint search and rescue operation involving the United States, Morocco, and other partner nations is underway in mountainous desert terrain near Tan Tan.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The incident occurred during the African Lion exercise, an annual multinational military training event hosted by Morocco involving the United States and other partner nations. The soldiers were not participating in training at the time of their disappearance but were instead on a recreational hike in the Cap Draa Training Area near Tan Tan.
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.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The soldiers will likely be located within the next 48-72 hours given the scale of the search operation involving helicopters, ships, mountain rescue units and divers.
Likely · Within days
US AFRICOM will issue further updates as the search progresses, potentially including details on the soldiers' identities once next of kin are notified.
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What were the exact circumstances that led to the soldiers becoming lost?
- Have any distress signals or communications been received from the missing personnel?
- What specific environmental hazards in the mountainous desert terrain may be complicating the search?
