Türkiye rescues 135 refugees illegally pushed back by Greece

By Meric Urer, Burak Akay, and Mirac Kaya

IZMIR/BALIKESIR/CANAKKALE, Türkiye (AA) - The Turkish Coast Guard rescued refugees Tuesday who were illegally pushed back by Greek forces.

Thirty-two irregular migrants were rescued off the coast of the Foca district of the Aegean province of Izmir after they were pushed back into Turkish territorial waters.

The website of Turkish Coast Guard Command said officials took action after learning there was a group of migrants in a boat off Foca.

The foreign nationals were sent to the provincial migration management directorate after processing.

Coast guard teams rescued 59 migrants separately after receiving information about groups of migrants in rubber boats off the coast of Ayvalik district in Balikesir province.

Turkish teams also rescued 44 migrants from Afghanistan found in a rubber boat off the coast of Ayvacik district in the northwestern province of Canakkale. Their boat was drifting because of engine failure and they requested help, according to the Turkish Coast Guard Command.

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

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.