Over last 10 days, Türkiye saved nearly 500 irregular migrants pushed back by Greece

By Emre Basaran

ISTANBUL (AA) – Over the last 10 days, Turkish Coast Guard forces have rescued a total of 488 irregular migrants illegally pushed back by Greece.

On Sunday, 84 irregular migrants were pushed into Turkish territorial waters by Greek naval forces off the coast of Ayvacik in the western Canakkale province.

The Turkish Coast Guard's Northern Aegean Group Command carried out the rescue after learning that there were irregular migrants in inflatable boats off Ayvacik, Canakkale.

Three Turkish naval boats directed to the area rescued the irregular migrants from Afghanistan, who were illegally pushed into Turkish territorial waters by Greek forces.

In another incident on the same day, Turkish forces rescued 11 migrants pushed back by the Greek Navy off the coast of Karaburun in the Aegean province of Izmir.

On Friday, Turkish forces rescued 65 irregular migrants pushed back by Greece off the town of Ayvalik in the western Balikesir province.

Last Tuesday, again in Karaburun, Turkish forces rescued 25 irregular migrants pushed back by Greece.

A day prior, 11 irregular migrants were saved by Turkish Coast Guard forces after being pushed back to Turkish waters off the coast of Bodrum in the southwestern Mugla province.

On the same day, 29 irregular migrants pushed back by Greece were saved by Turkish forces off the coast of Ayvalik.

- Dangerous Greek pushbacks slammed by Türkiye, human rights groups

June 26 marked other rescue operations, as a total of 134 irregular migrants were saved on two separate occasions off the coast of Ayvacik.

Off the coast of Mugla, 31 irregular migrants were also rescued on the same day after being illegally pushed back by Greek forces.

On June 25, a total of 14 migrants were rescued by Turkish forces in Ayvacik.

A day prior, the Turkish Coast Guard also saved a total of 31 irregular migrants who were pushed back by Greece off Foca in the Aegean province of Izmir.

On June 23, five irregular migrants were rescued off the coast of Bodrum while 48 other refugees pushed back by Greece were saved off the coast of Izmir’s Dikili district.

Human rights groups and media outlets have frequently reported on illegal pushbacks and other human rights breaches by Greek authorities.

Survivors of a migrant boat sinking last month in which 300-600 migrants are feared drowned have blamed the deadly incident on a Greek Coast Guard boat trying to tow the migrant craft into Italian territorial waters.

Türkiye and global rights groups have repeatedly condemned Greece’s illegal practice of pushing back asylum seekers, saying it violates humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.​​​​​​​