Outrage grows over 'Israeli' troops in Morocco's military drills
'Israeli' forces are participating in this year's African Lion 25, the largest US-led joint military exercise on the African continent, currently underway in Morocco and neighboring countries.
The drill, which began on April 14 and runs through May 23, involves over 10,000 troops from more than 50 countries including 'Israel".
While African Lion includes exercises in Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia, 'Israeli' troops are only taking part in operations held inside Morocco — a move that has sparked political backlash due to the ongoing 'Israeli' offensive in Gaza.
Local protests and statements from civil society groups in Morocco have condemned the presence of 'Israeli' forces, particularly reports that soldiers from the Golani Brigade's special operations unit — accused of killing 15 Palestinian medical workers in Gaza in March — are among those deployed.
The Moroccan Front for Supporting Palestine and Against Normalization, a coalition of left-wing parties, unions, and civil society groups, called the participation of 'Israeli' troops a 'provocation' and demanded their immediate removal from the drills.
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese also raised concerns over unconfirmed reports and imagery suggesting the presence of Golani soldiers in Morocco, warning it could constitute a breach of international law if those accused of war crimes were not investigated.
The 'Israeli' military has not disclosed which units are participating, but photos circulating on social media show troops wearing Golani Brigade insignias during joint training near the city of Agadir. The image appeared to be taken during a special operations phase of the exercise, although the date has not been verified.
African Lion 25, led by US Africa Command and hosted primarily by Morocco, is designed to bolster interoperability and readiness across allied forces. Activities in Morocco include field training exercises, live-fire drills, and humanitarian cooperation.
According to US officials, the exercise also demonstrates the US's ability to project power and respond rapidly alongside its partners on the continent.
Despite official silence on 'Israel's' participation, a traffic accident involving two 'Israeli' paratroopers during the exercise last week briefly brought their presence into local news. Both soldiers were treated in hospital for moderate injuries.
'Israel' has taken part in African Lion exercises since 2022 following the resumption of military ties with Morocco under the US-brokered normalization agreement in late 2020. This year marks 'Israel's' third consecutive participation.
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