Shafaq News/ A devastating foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak isravaging Nineveh province, severely affecting the region's livestock industryand exposing critical gaps in Iraq's veterinary oversight. Originating inKokjali’s cattle farms, the outbreak has rapidly spread, raising alarms overregulatory failures, illegal livestock imports, and corruption within thesector.
As farmers struggle to contain the epidemic, accusations of negligenceand misconduct are mounting against local authorities, fuelling demands forurgent government intervention.
FMD Basics: A Global Threat to Livestock
Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral infection affectingcloven-hoofed animals, such as cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats. Caused by theFoot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), the disease is marked by fever and painfulblisters on the mouth, feet, and teats, leading to lameness and significantmilk production loss. While adults often recover, young animals are especiallyvulnerable, with complications like myocarditis proving fatal.
The disease spreads rapidly through direct contact with infectedanimals, contaminated feed, equipment, vehicles, and clothing. Its airbornenature allows it to travel long distances, making containment difficult. Iraqhas been grappling with FMD outbreaks for decades, with particularly severeincidents during the 1990s and 2012.
The 2012 FMD outbreak was one of the most severe in recent decades, withmortality rates reaching 7.5% for cattle and 4.9% for smaller livestock. Nearlythree million animals were affected, resulting in mass culling and economiclosses exceeding $50 million. Despite these recurring challenges, Iraq'sefforts to control FMD have been hindered by inadequate veterinary oversightand the illegal importation of infected animals.
The Crisis in Nineveh
From 2022 to 2025, Iraq lost over 1.5 million livestock to FMD. The mostrecent outbreak, which began in early 2025, has been particularly severe inNineveh. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) identified the SAT-2serotype, related to strains from Ethiopia, as the cause. The outbreak hasaffected multiple species, with 2,091 buffalo infected, 159 dead, 1,926 cattlecases and 255 deaths, 23,878 sheep infected with 817 deaths, and 80 infectedgoats with 23 fatalities.
The crisis has been exacerbated by a lack of vaccinations. The lastimmunization campaign in 2021 targeted only serotypes A, O, and Asia1, leavinglivestock unprotected against SAT-2. Morbidity rates have exceeded 90%, withhigh mortality among calves and lambs. Meanwhile, inadequate diagnosticcapabilities and delays in vaccine procurement have only worsened thesituation.
Kokjali’s farms have been hit hardest, losing over 2,000 cattle in justone week. Muath Haji, a member of Nineveh’s Provincial Council, accusedcorruption within Iraq’s livestock import sector of fueling the outbreak.
He claimed that traders, officials, and politicians were complicit inthe smuggling of infected cattle. “The spread of the disease in Kokjali’slivestock farms reveals a system of bribery, traders as bribes, officials asbribe-takers, and corrupt politicians as middlemen,” Haji stated.
Public anger has escalated, with accusations directed at localpoliticians, including a sitting Member of Parliament. Protests have erupted,with farmers and residents demanding accountability, alleging that infectedcattle were smuggled through the “Martyr Sebhan” checkpoint at Mosul’s entrancefrom Erbil, and other routes. The lack of oversight at these entry points hasexacerbated
the outbreak’s spread.
Official Response: Slow, and Unconvincing
The local government’s response has been met with skepticism. AhmedAl-Dobardani, head of Nineveh’s Agriculture and Health Committee, confirmed atleast 800 cattle deaths in official reports, though local farmers believe thetoll is far higher. While Al-Dobardani defended the Veterinary Department’sefforts, such as vaccination campaigns, farm disinfection, and stricter importcontrols, many farmers remain unconvinced, arguing that authorities were slowto act and ineffective in their response.
Haji criticized the vaccines provided to Kokjali’s farmers, claimingthey failed to prevent infections. “The vaccines distributed were ineffective.Some lasted only four to six months, but the outbreak shows they didn’t work.An investigation by the Minister of Agriculture is necessary,” he warned.Farmers also alleged that previous vaccination campaigns involved expired orimproperly stored doses, rendering them useless. Despite Iraq allocating $8million for vaccination efforts in 2019, FMD continues to spread, deepeningsuspicions of corruption and mismanagement.
Omar Al-Hayali, director of Nineveh Veterinary Hospital, downplayed theseverity of the situation, noting that FMD has been endemic in the region sincethe 1930s. “All necessary measures have been taken, including extensive fieldinspections, disinfection, and vaccine distribution,” he stated. However, hisclaims that “media reports are exaggerating the situation” and that “thesituation is under control” only fueled public frustration, as many farmersfelt the government was more focused on deflecting blame than addressing thecrisis.
Too Little, Too Late?
In response to the ongoing crisis, Nineveh’s Health and AgricultureCommittee has proposed several key measures, including a temporary ban onlivestock imports until the Veterinary Hospital confirms a clearepidemiological status. Authorities have also ramped up enforcement of theAnimal Health Law and are working with the Ministry of Agriculture to secureadditional vaccines, medications, and logistical support.
Local officials have hired more veterinary doctors and increasedoversight of slaughterhouses, implementing stricter protocols for meattransportation. Temporary slaughterhouses will also be established, closelysupervised by local authorities. While veterinary teams continue to disinfectaffected farms and distribute new vaccines, many farmers remain skeptical, asprevious immunization efforts failed to prevent the current outbreak.
The financial toll on livestock farmers, especially in Kokjali, has beendevastating. Entire herds have been lost, and many farmers are struggling torecover. Agricultural activist Anas Al-Taie has called for urgent governmentintervention. “The state cannot abandon livestock farmers. Authorities must compensatethem and ensure that corruption does not fuel future outbreaks,” Al-Taieemphasized.
Al-Taie also highlighted the significant investments made by Kokjalifarm owners, who suffered heavy losses due to corrupt officials allowing theimportation of infected animals. He urged authorities to address the concernsof farmers, provide immediate compensation, and implement long-term strategiesto protect livestock from future outbreaks fueled by corruption and neglect.