US-Led ’African Lion 21’ Military Exercises to Include Moroccan Sahara for First Time

Morocco is gearing up for the African Lion 21 exercise. On Saturday, a coordination meeting between officers of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and their American counterparts, as well as those of other countries, was held in Agadir. The military exercises will take place in three countries: Morocco, Tunisia and Senegal. The US Army will bring together the Army of Europe and that of Africa into a single four-star command. In total, 8,000 soldiers instead of 5,000 will participate in African Lion 21.

The peculiarity of this edition is that some military maneuvers will take place, for the very first time, in the Moroccan Sahara, more precisely in Tan Tan, Dakhla and Mahbes, a region located near Tindouf. This novelty follows the American recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara. A decision that Algeria and the Polisario, its protégé, have still not accepted.