DR ‹ › Moroccan and U.S. forces are co-hosting the 22nd edition of African Lion exercises through May 8. The southern zone headquarters in Agadir hosted the opening ceremony on Monday, attended by representatives from participating countries, during which the overall concept and planned activities were presented. Speaking on the occasion, Major General Mohammed Benlouali said the event marks a strategic milestone in strengthening the military partnership between the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as with their counterparts from participating nations. Brigadier General Daniel Cederman, deputy commander of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), said this year's objectives are to «increase readiness, enhance interoperability, and improve our ability to execute joint missions in complex environments». More than 5,000 military personnel from around 40 participating and observer countries are taking part alongside the FAR and U.S. forces. The exercises are being held across Benguerir, Agadir, Tan-Tan, Taroudant, Dakhla, and Tifnit, and include a range of land, maritime, and air operations conducted day and night, as well as special forces drills, airborne operations, and a field command exercise. This edition also expands into emerging domains such as space, electromagnetic warfare, and cyberspace, with the integration of unmanned aerial systems in operational planning and execution. It also includes training in countering weapons of mass destruction, along with medical, surgical, and social services provided to residents of the El-Faid region (Taroudant) through a field military hospital, in addition to similar initiatives in Dakhla.
