Iraq tightens border livestock checks

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Border Crossings Authority announced, on Tuesday, stricter veterinary controls to safeguard livestock and prevent the spread of animal diseases, particularly foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which officials say is now under control.

At the Trebil border crossing, authorities have intensified inspections in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture’s Veterinary Department. Livestock exports are now subject to detailed health checks by joint committees from the ministry and veterinary quarantine teams.

To prevent disease transmission, veterinary teams at Trebil have begun inspecting sheep to ensure they are disease-free and safe for consumption. Meanwhile, the Authority reaffirmed its commitment to blocking the entry of expired, spoiled, or contaminated food and animal products.

These heightened measures follow recent FMD outbreaks in Baghdad and surrounding areas. On Sunday, the parliamentary agriculture committee confirmed that the disease had been contained, preventing further spread.