2 US troops missing after ‘Africa Lion’ training exercises in Morocco
The US, Morocco and other countries participating in the African Lion exercise has a search and rescue operation, the United States African Command said.
news.inbox.lvHere’s the latest I can confirm about the African Lion exercise and the two US service members reported missing.
Direct answer
- As of early May 2026, two US service members were reported missing during the African Lion 2026 exercise in Morocco near the Cap Draa Training Area close to Tan Tan. A multinational search and rescue operation involving US and Moroccan forces (and partners) was ongoing [source: multiple initial reports and official briefings in May 2026].
Key context
- African Lion is a large, multinational joint exercise conducted annually in Morocco, involving many countries and thousands of personnel, with activities spanning land, sea, air, and cyber domains [source: official AFRICOM/European command pages].
- The missing-person reports prompted an extensive search that leveraged ground teams, aerial assets, maritime assets, and specialized rescue capabilities from participating nations, and the exercise was temporarily paused to focus on the SAR effort [source: initial reporting and military briefings].
What has happened since (where things stand)
- Publicly available reporting in May 2026 indicated ongoing search efforts and an investigation by US Africa Command and Moroccan authorities. Details such as the identities of the missing service members and the precise findings of the search had not been publicly confirmed in the most widely cited outlets in the initial wave of coverage [sources vary; see contemporaneous news briefs and official statements].
Notes on reliability and updates
- Because this event involves ongoing search-and-rescue operations and military inquiries, information can be updated frequently. I can pull in the latest verified updates if you’d like, and I can summarize official statements from AFRICOM or allied partners as they’re released.
Would you like me to track the latest official updates and provide a concise, continuously updated brief with dates, locations, assets involved, and any confirmed outcomes? I can also add a timeline and highlight the key agencies and nations contributing to the response.