2 US service members lacking after army workouts in Morocco : NPR

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Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP CASABLANCA, Morocco — Two U.S. service members are lacking in southwestern Morocco after collaborating in annual multinational army workouts within the North African nation, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) mentioned Sunday.

The service members are U.S. Military troopers who went lacking whereas on a hike, a U.S. protection official instructed The Related Press on situation of anonymity as they weren't allowed to talk publicly in regards to the subject.

"They weren't actively collaborating in any coaching. The day's workouts had concluded, and, from our understanding, they had been out on a leisure hike," the official mentioned.

AFRICOM mentioned the U.S., Morocco and different international locations collaborating within the African Lion train have launched a search and rescue operation.

"The incident stays beneath investigation and the search is ongoing," it mentioned in a press release.

The incident occurred on Saturday at about 9 p.m., the Moroccan army mentioned, close to the Cap Draa Coaching Space close to Tan Tan, near the Atlantic Ocean. The terrain is mountainous, a mixture of desert and semidesert plains.

The search group consists of helicopters, ships, mountain rescue models and divers, the protection official instructed the AP.

"The troopers had been final seen close to ocean cliffs within the neighborhood of the Cap Draa Coaching Space throughout scheduled coaching. When they didn't return as anticipated, U.S. and Moroccan personnel instantly initiated a joint search effort," the official added.

The struggle video games train began in April and runs throughout 4 international locations, together with Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal. It's scheduled to finish in early Might.

The train started in Tunisia with active-duty members of various branches of the U.S. army, together with the Nationwide Guard, Military Reserve, Air Power, and the Marine Corps.

In all, over 7,000 personnel from greater than 30 nations are collaborating throughout the 4 host international locations.

African Lion, which has been working since 2004, is the most important U.S. annual joint army train on the continent and normally options high-ranking army officers from the U.S. and its prime African allies.

U.S. army officers have mentioned the annual multinational engagement serves as a venue for strengthening regional safety cooperation and refining the readiness of collaborating forces for international crises.

In 2012, two U.S. Marines had been killed and two others injured throughout a helicopter crash in Morocco's southern metropolis of Agadir whereas collaborating in African Lion.

Morocco is a significant ally of the US in a troubled area. Since 2020, army officers disillusioned with their governments' information of stemming violence have overthrown democratically elected governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and commenced distancing themselves from Western powers.