US Africa Command (AFRICOM) today announced a search operation for two military personnel, nearly a day after they went missing in the Cap Draa training area, near Tan Tan, southwestern Morocco. US forces, the Moroccan army, and partner nations deployed naval, ground, and air assets to locate the soldiers.

AFRICOM did not disclose the circumstances of the incident, stating that the immediate priority is locating the personnel and reassuring their families. The Moroccan army reported that the two US soldiers disappeared during training activities near a cliff.

US military personnel training at Cap Draa, Morocco, 26/4. Photo: *US Army*

African Lion is AFRICOM's largest annual exercise, designed to enhance combat interoperability between US forces, NATO allies, and African partner nations.

African Lion 2026 marks the 22nd iteration of the exercise. This year's event runs from 27/4 to 8/5 across four countries: Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia. The segment of the exercise held in Tunisia concluded on 29/4, with over 500 US, African, and allied personnel participating.

Most of African Lion 2026's activities are concentrated in Morocco, involving approximately 5,000 personnel from over 40 nations. Training encompasses a wide range of areas, from large-scale operations to crisis response and humanitarian support.

This year's activities also feature special operations, cyber security defense, intelligence gathering, and explosive ordnance disposal. Participating forces have coordinated air, land, and sea operations, integrating sensor technology and real-time information sharing.