Two United States Army soldiers have gone missing near the Cap Draa Training Area in Tan Tan, southwestern Morocco, during African Lion 2026, the United States Africa Command’s (AFRICOM) largest annual joint military exercise.
AFRICOM confirmed the disappearance in a statement on Sunday, saying the soldiers were reported missing on Saturday night. A U.S. defense official, speaking without authorization to be named, told Stars and Stripes the pair were off duty at the time and are believed to have fallen into the ocean from a cliffside area on the training grounds at around 9 p.m. local time.
Coordinated search and rescue operations involving ground, air, and maritime assets were launched immediately. “U.S., Moroccan and other assets from African Lion immediately initiated coordinated search and rescue operations,” AFRICOM said, adding that the incident remains under investigation.
African Lion 2026, now in its 22nd year, runs from April 20 to May 8 across four host nations: Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia. The exercise brings together more than 5,600 military personnel from over 40 countries, including North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, to test rapid deployment capabilities and multi-domain combat readiness.
The Morocco phase of the exercise, which includes approximately 5,000 personnel operating across multiple sites, is slated to conclude in early May.
Ghana is currently participating as a co-host nation. U.S. and Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) medical personnel have been conducting a Medical Readiness Exercise (MEDREX) at the 37th Military Hospital in Accra since April 20, bringing together roughly 25 American service members and Ghanaian military health professionals.
AFRICOM said its focus remains on the missing service members and their families, and that further information will be released as the search progresses.
