Two U.S. service members have gone missing in Morocco during military exercises, according to the U.S. African Command (Africom). The missing individuals were participating in African Lion 2026, an annual joint exercise designed to strengthen operations between U.S. forces, NATO allies, and African nations, officials said. The incident was reported on Saturday near the Cap Draa Training Area, which is near the city of Tan Tan in Morocco.

Search and Rescue Mission Underway

A search and rescue mission involving ground, air, and maritime resources from the U.S., Morocco, and other countries is underway for the service members, officials said. “The incident remains under investigation and the search is ongoing,” Africom said in a statement released on Sunday. “Our focus is on the service members involved and their families.”

Authorities believe the incident was an accident and not an act of terrorism or kidnapping, a U.S. official with knowledge of the matter told the BBC. The search involves resources from multiple nations participating in the exercise.

Details of the African Lion Exercise

African Lion is the continent’s largest annual joint military exercise and is hosted across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia. It focuses on all-domain operations, crisis response, and multinational coordination to enhance regional security and prepare for emergencies. The exercise involves 5,000 personnel from over 40 countries and more than 30 U.S.-based industry partners, according to officials. It is scheduled to run from 27 April to 8 May.

U.S. officials said the multinational drills are designed to strengthen security partnerships and sharpen troop readiness for potential global crises. The exercise was originally launched in 2004. According to the U.S. Africa Command, 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.

Ongoing Developments

The search and rescue operation is ongoing, and more details are expected as the investigation continues. Fox News Digital reached out to AFRICOM for more details but did not immediately hear back. The Associated Press contributed to this report.