Amjad Al-Awkli, a veterinarian with the Municipal Guard in Al-Abraq, confirmed that Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), which is spreading in several areas, is classified as a serious epidemic disease that affects sheep and goats. In a statement to “WAL,” he said it directly impacts rural communities that depend on livestock farming as a primary source of income.
Al-Awkli explained that the disease targets sheep and goat populations, resulting in losses to the livelihoods of rural families.
He pointed out that Libya, which ranks ninth among Arab countries in the number of sheep, possesses livestock resources that are a pillar of food security. However, the continued spread of the disease for more than four years exposes these resources to increasing risks.
Al-Awkli stated that warnings about the seriousness of the situation had previously been issued via social media platforms, but the official responses, in his words, “were not at the level of the existing threat.”