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Türkiye rescues over a dozen refugees after Greek pushback

Refugees from Yemen, Sudan, and Eritrea are pushed back by Greek forces following a tragedy last week, in which hundreds of refugees are feared dead.

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The migrants were transferred to Türkiye's Ayvacik Immigration Office./ Photo: AA

The Turkish Coast Guard has rescued 14 refugees in the North Aegean Sea after they were illegally pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greek authorities.

Coast Guard Northern Aegean Group Command teams determined on Sunday that there were irregular migrants in a life raft off Türkiye's northwestern town of Ayvacik in Canakkale.

The coast guard also reported that the refugees were from Yemen, Sudan, and Eritrea.

After the necessary procedures, the refugees who were brought ashore were transferred to the Ayvacik Immigration Office.

In a separate incident, 41 refugees and migrants were caught in the cargo box of a pickup truck in Mugla, Aegean Türkiye.

Authorities have detained and arrested two individuals suspected of engaging in migrant smuggling.

Violating international law

Hundreds of refugees are also feared dead from a migrant boat sinking last week off southwestern Greece.

Some accounts suggest the accident happened when a Greek Coast Guard vessel tried to tow the overcrowded migrant boat into Italian waters.

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

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