2026-05-22T13:17:24+00:00
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Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraq suspended the entry of live animals from Syria and
tightened veterinary inspections at border crossings after reports of
foot-and-mouth disease infections in Syria’s Raqqa province, the Iraqi
Veterinary Directorate said on Friday.
The temporary ban would remain in place until the
epidemiological situation becomes fully clear, the directorate noted.
Surveillance levels had been raised to the highest degree nationwide, while
veterinary hospitals at border crossings and inside the country were instructed
to intensify inspections of incoming livestock and immediately report any
suspected infections.
“Veterinary and health measures are applied equally to all
countries based on official reports, epidemiological monitoring systems, and
continuous assessments of health conditions in neighboring countries.”
Last April, veterinary authorities in Raqqa province reported a rise in
foot-and-mouth disease infections among cattle and sheep, according to Syria’s
state news agency SANA. Mahmoud Al-Mahmoud, head of Raqqa’s Health and Animal
Production Department, warned that limited medical supplies were insufficient
for the province’s nearly three million livestock, noting that the disease
poses a major threat to young animals, with lamb mortality rates reaching up to
100%.