News - U.S. Service Members Believed Missing Near Cliff During African Lion Exercise

In a focused search effort, American and Moroccan forces strive to locate two U.S. service members missing from the African Lion 2026 military drills. The last known whereabouts of the service members was the Cap Draa Training Area, adjacent to the town of Tan Tan, Morocco. Reports emerged on May 2, 2026, about the disappearance of the personnel, engaging both local and international military support in a rescue mission. This collaborative effort includes advanced ground, air, and naval maneuvers aimed at locating and recovering the individuals swiftly. The exercise, African Lion 2026, is a large-scale military operation with a robust coalition of over 10,000 participating soldiers from 20 nations. It emphasizes combined training that spans live-fire exercises, command drills, and humanitarian operations across Morocco and other African host countries such as Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) is leading the coordination of efforts, while the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces have targeted their search operations near a cliff, believed to be the last area the missing were known to have been. In response to this incident, AFRICOM reaffirmed their commitment to bringing the service members home, expressing their empathy and support to the families during this time. The situation remains under investigation, as officials from both nations work tirelessly to resolve the situation. The international military community continues to monitor developments closely, united in their resolve to find the missing service members.