Turkey rescues 23 irregular migrants off Aegean coast

By Dilan Pamuk

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces rescued as many as 23 irregular migrants off the country's Aegean coast early on Tuesday.

Teams from the country's Coast Guard Command took action upon receiving information about a group of migrants making their way on a rubber dinghy off the coastal district of Datca in the southwestern Mugla province.

A statement by the command said the migrants were pushed back by Greek forces towards Turkey's territorial waters.

Turkey and human rights groups have denounced Greece's practice of pushbacks, saying that in addition to violating international law, they endanger innocent asylum seekers, including women and young children.

Turkey has been a key transit point for irregular migrants who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

It already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any country in the world, and is taking new security measures on its borders to humanely prevent a fresh influx of migrants.