Morocco Excludes Spain from ’African Lion’ Military Exercise Amid Diplomatic Tensions

The African Lion military exercise will take place this year without the participation of Spain, which has not been invited by Morocco due to the diplomatic crisis that erupted between the two countries since the reception of Brahim Ghali in Spain for "humanitarian" reasons, thus denying the information relayed by the local press which claimed that Spain had decided to boycott this exercise to "avoid that its participation be read as a Spanish blessing of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory of the Sahara".

"The Madrid authorities have leaked to the Iberian press that Spain has decided not to participate in the African Lion 2021 maneuvers that will take place from June 7 to 18 in Morocco, Tunisia and Senegal," reported Maghreb Intelligence, which recalls that "these maneuvers in which Spain has always participated, will take place this year in Dakhla and Mahbès, in the heart of the Sahara." "It is indeed Morocco that has opposed a non-receivable to Spain in order not to give the impression that relations are resuming normally between the two countries before the Brahim Ghali affair is resolved," adds the same source.

Every year, more than a thousand American, Moroccan, European and African soldiers take part in this joint military exercise. For the 2021 edition, more than 1,500 soldiers, mostly American and Moroccan, according to the US military, will participate in these maneuvers.