Marrakech – A joint Moroccan-American field hospital deployed in Taroudant province has provided over 31,000 medical services to roughly 12,080 patients since its launch on April 20, as part of the humanitarian component of the African Lion 2026 military exercise.
The medical-surgical field hospital, set up in the Al Fayd territorial community, brings together around 160 medical and paramedical personnel from Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR) alongside approximately 90 American counterparts.
The facility offers a wide range of specialties. These include general medicine, internal medicine, dermatology, cardiology, gynecology-obstetrics, ENT, ophthalmology, pediatrics, respiratory medicine, orthopedic surgery, emergency medicine, anesthesiology, dental care, and radiology services.
Beyond consultations, the hospital carries out surgical procedures and early disease screening campaigns. It also operates a pharmacy and social services units. Medical eyeglasses are distributed to patients with visual impairments, and prescriptions are provided free of charge. Social and cultural activities for children are organized on-site by both Moroccan and American service members.
On Monday, a senior delegation visited the facility. It was led by Major General Mohammed Benlouali, Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces’ Southern Zone, and Major General Daniel Boyack, commander of the Utah National Guard.
The hospital deployment is one element of this year’s African Lion exercise. The 22nd edition of the drills launched on April 27 and is scheduled to run through May 8. Operations take place across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia. Morocco hosts the largest share of activities.
This edition brings together over 7,000 personnel from more than 30 nations across the four host countries, with approximately 5,000 deployed in Morocco alone from over 40 countries. More than 30 American industrial partners are also involved.
The exercise is led by the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). It is designed to strengthen interoperability among US forces, NATO allies, and African partner nations.
Its stated objectives include reinforcing collective security, testing rapid deployment capabilities, and improving coordination in multi-domain environments.
The program spans live-fire exercises, air and maritime training, special operations, crisis response drills, and humanitarian missions. This year’s edition places special emphasis on advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, anti-drone tools, and surveillance platforms.
African Lion dates back to the 1990s as a bilateral exercise between the US and Morocco. It was initially biennial and run under the US European Command before shifting to the Marine Corps and becoming annual. When the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) was established in 2008, it took over supervision, expanding the drills into a multinational format.
The exercise has grown steadily. The 2024 edition involved roughly 8,100 troops from nearly 30 nations. The 2025 edition drew around 10,000 from over 50 countries.
This year’s edition, however, has been overshadowed by an incident. Two US Army soldiers went missing on Saturday evening near ocean cliffs at the Cap Draa Training Area, close to the city of Tan Tan.
The two were off duty on a recreational hike when they reportedly fell into the Atlantic Ocean. US Africa Command confirmed the disappearance on Sunday. A joint search and rescue operation involving ground, air, and maritime assets remains underway.
