Two US service members reported missing in Morocco, officials say

Two US service members have gone missing during military exercises in Morocco, the US African Command (Africom) has said.

The missing Americans were participating in African Lion 2026, an annual joint exercise designed to strengthen operations between US forces, Nato allies, and African nations, officials said.

Africom said they were reported missing on Saturday near the Cap Draa Training Area, which is near the city of Tan Tan in Morocco.

A search and rescue mission involving ground, air, and maritime resources from the US, 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 was not an act of terrorism or kidnapping, a US official with knowledge of the matter told the BBC.

African Lion, the continent's largest annual joint military exercise, 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, which involves 5,000 personnel from over 40 countries and more than 30 US-based industry partners, is scheduled to run from 27 April to 8 May.