CAP DRAA TRAINING AREA — U.S. Africa Command launched a search and rescue operation in southern Morocco after two U.S. service members were reported missing off the country's southern coast. Officials said recovery efforts are ongoing near the Cap Draa Training Area outside the city of Tan Tan.

The United States, Morocco and other countries participating in the African Lion exercise are conducting the search, according to a statement. The names of the service members and details of the incident have not been released.

A base-wide head-count was conducted at 9 p.m. local time on Saturday. Helicopters were heard throughout the night as the search was underway. Reporters observed planes, helicopters and drones in the area around the coast the following morning.

The search area is a desert training ground used for large-scale military training, where annual exercises are currently taking place. African Lion is the largest annual joint military exercise led by U.S. Africa Command, one of the U.S. Department of Defense's 11 unified combatant commands.

The exercise brings together thousands of troops from the United States, African partner nations and NATO allies to train for modern warfare across land, air, sea, cyber and space domains. This year's exercise involves more than 5,000 personnel from over 40 nations, with a focus on advanced technologies including drones, autonomous systems and artificial intelligence.

In Morocco, troops are participating in coordinated training scenarios that simulate modern combat conditions. The scenarios include defense in depth operations using sensors, surveillance drones, counter-drone systems and long-range fires to detect, track and defeat enemy forces.