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Two U.S. service members are missing in southwestern Morocco following an annual multinational military exercise, sparking an ongoing search-and-rescue effort by U.S. and allied forces, officials said Sunday.
The incident happened on May 2 at the Cap Draa Training Area near Tan Tan, a Moroccan city about 15 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) said.
“The incident remains under investigation and the search is on-going,” it said in a statement, adding that the rescue operation includes ground, air and maritime assets.
Fox News Digital reached out to AFRICOM for more details but did not immediately hear back.
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U.S. and Moroccan military forces participate in the 20th edition of the African Lion military exercise in Tantan, south of Agadir, Morocco, on May 31, 2024. (Mosa’ab Elshamy/AP)
The war games exercise, known as African Lion, started in April and runs across four countries, including Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal. It is scheduled to end in early May.
African Lion is the U.S. military’s largest annual exercise in Africa, bringing together senior commanders from the United States and key regional allies. It was originally launched in 2004.
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U.S. officials say the multinational drills are designed to strengthen security partnerships and sharpen troop readiness for potential global crises.
This is a developing news story; check back for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.