Two U.S. Soldiers Missing During African Lion Exercise in Morocco

Two U.S. Army soldiers participating in the African Lion military exercise in Morocco have been reported missing near the Cap Draa Training Area, close to the city of Tan-Tan. The soldiers were last seen on Saturday evening during a recreational hike after the day's exercises had concluded.

A joint search and rescue operation involving U.S., Moroccan, and other partner forces has been initiated, utilizing ground, air, and maritime assets. The Moroccan military reported that the incident occurred around 9 p.m. near ocean cliffs in the Cap Draa area.

The African Lion exercise, which began in April and is scheduled to conclude in early May, is the largest annual U.S. joint military exercise on the continent, involving over 7,000 personnel from more than 30 nations across four host countries: Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal.

In 2012, two U.S. Marines were killed and two others injured during a helicopter crash in Morocco's southern city of Agadir while taking part in African Lion.

The search for the missing soldiers is ongoing, and the incident remains under investigation.