Two American service members went missing in Morocco on Saturday during the African Lion 2026 multinational military exercise, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed.
The troops were last seen near the Cap Draa Training Area, outside the coastal city of Tan Tan, roughly 20 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. AFRICOM did not identify the service members or disclose which branch of the military they belong to.
“Two U.S. service members participating in African Lion 2026 were reported missing near the Cap Draa Training Area, near the city of Tan Tan, Morocco, May 2, 2026,” the command posted on X.
Search and rescue operations launched immediately. U.S. and Moroccan forces deployed ground teams, aircraft, and maritime assets to scour the area. The search remained active as of Sunday.
“U.S., Moroccan and other assets from African Lion immediately initiated coordinated search and rescue operations, including ground, air, and maritime assets,” AFRICOM said in its official statement. “The incident remains under investigation and the search is on-going. Our focus is on the service members involved and their families.”
AFRICOM said it would release more details “as it becomes available” but gave no information about the nature of the “incident” that led to the disappearance.
African Lion 2026 is one of the largest annual U.S.-led military exercises on the continent. This year’s exercise brought together more than 7,000 troops from at least 30 nations across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia. American participants include members of the Marine Corps, Air Force, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard. The exercise was scheduled to conclude in early May.
The exercise has run annually since 2004 and is designed to strengthen cooperation between the U.S. military and allied nations across Africa, with a focus on senior leadership coordination and joint operational planning.
