Damascus, May 23 (SANA) Syria’s General Authority for Borders and Customs on Saturday denied reports claiming an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among livestock, after the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture cited the reports in a decision to suspend the transit of Syrian livestock through Iraqi territory.
Mazen Alloush, director of public relations at the General Authority said the reports were baseless and not supported by any official data or confirmed epidemiological cases.
Speaking to SANA, Alloush said Syrian authorities had communicated directly with the Iraqi side and informed it that no outbreak had been recorded in Syria.
“Decisions related to veterinary quarantine or import and transit bans must be based on documented and confirmed cases in accordance with international veterinary standards, not on unverified information or inaccurate estimates,” Alloush said.
He added that Syrian livestock exports continue normally through Jordan and Syrian ports without any health-related objections from the competent authorities in importing countries, which he said refutes claims of an epidemic outbreak.
Alloush also stressed the continuation of coordination with the relevant Syrian authorities to communicate with Iraq in an effort to resolve the issue and prevent unjustified measures that could harm livestock breeders and traders and disrupt trade between the two countries.
A new shipment transited through the Al-Yaarubiyah border crossing on Friday en route from Turkish territory to Iraq, reflecting growing commercial traffic and the gradual return of international transit routes through Syrian territory after years of suspension.
N.J/ADB
