Xinhuanet
Source: Xinhua
The Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR), together with armed forces from 15 countries, started military drills in southern Morocco, the army announced in a statement on Tuesday.
The military exercises are part of the mission of the U.S. Africa Command, AFRICOM, which organizes the African Lion military exercises in Morocco annually with the participation of partner countries.
The 15th edition of African Lion exercise brings together military units and observers from Germany, Canada, Spain, France, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Burkina Faso, Chad, Egypt, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Tunisia, in addition to the U.S. and Morocco, according to the statement.
The drills run until April 29 in six Moroccan cities under the leadership and operational control of the Moroccan army, the statement noted.
The exercise includes ground, air and airborne training and tactical simulation, the statement said, adding that it also consists of training in command activities and in operations against violent extremist organizations.
Furthermore, as part of civil-military activities parallel to the exercise, medical-dental services will be provided to local populations in the southern province of Tiznit by medical teams made up of doctors and nurses from FAR and the U.S. Army, the same source said.
On the sidelines of “African Lion 2018” exercise, a Moroccan-U.S. naval aeronautical maneuver, called “Lightning Handshake,” is planned in the Atlantic, off the Moroccan coast.
This maneuver will involve, among others, the Mohammed VI frigate and the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman, as well as fighter aircrafts from both countries.
The “African Lion 2018” exercise and “Lightning Handshake” naval aeronautical maneuver are meant to consolidate training, exchange of experience as well as knowledge, and to strengthen cooperation and operational control between the various components.
