In a concerning development reported from Casablanca, Morocco, two U.S. military personnel have gone missing in the southwestern region of the country. This incident occurred during the annual multinational military exercises known as African Lion, as confirmed by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) on Sunday. According to a U.S. defense official, who requested anonymity, the service members, both soldiers from the U.S. Army, were not engaged in active training at the time of their disappearance; they were reportedly on a recreational hike after the day's exercises had concluded.
AFRICOM has initiated a comprehensive search and rescue operation involving U.S. and Moroccan forces, collaborating with other participating nations. The incident is currently under investigation, and efforts to locate the missing soldiers are ongoing. The Moroccan military stated that the last confirmed sighting of the service members occurred near ocean cliffs in the vicinity of the Cap Draa Training Area, close to Tan Tan, around 9 p.m. on Saturday. This area features challenging mountainous terrain, characterized by a blend of desert and semi-desert plains.
The search operation is extensive and includes helicopters, naval ships, mountain rescue units, and divers, highlighting the seriousness of the situation. As the official noted, the soldiers did not return as anticipated, prompting immediate action from U.S. and Moroccan personnel to commence a joint search effort.
The African Lion exercise, which began in April, involves over 7,000 military personnel from more than 30 countries and spans four host nations, including Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal. Scheduled to conclude in early May, this exercise is the largest annual joint military engagement by U.S. forces on the African continent, designed to enhance regional security cooperation and improve the readiness of participating forces for potential global crises. Historically, African Lion has been a platform for high-ranking military officials from the U.S. and its key African allies to collaborate.
It's important to note that this is not the first time a tragedy has occurred during these exercises; in 2012, two U.S. Marines lost their lives in a helicopter crash in Agadir, Morocco, while participating in the same event. The U.S. maintains a strong military partnership with Morocco, which is seen as a key ally in a region facing significant instability, especially as recent years have seen military coups in neighboring countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
As reported by wflx.com.
