Türkiye rescues dozens of refugees illegally pushed back by Greece

The Turkish Coast Guard has rescued a total of 132 refugees illegally pushed back by Greek forces.

Eighty-five irregular migrants pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greece were rescued off the coasts of the Dikili and Foca districts of the Aegean Izmir province, the Turkish Coast Guard Command said on Monday.

Officials took action after learning there was a group of irregular migrants in an inflatable boat off Foca.

Forty-two irregular migrants on the boat who were pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greek forces were rescued.

The crews also rescued six irregular migrants on a life raft and 37 from an inflatable boat which had been pushed back off the coast of Dikili.

After processing, the foreign nationals were sent to the provincial migration management directorate.

Separately, 47 irregular migrants in an inflatable boat pushed into Turkish territorial waters by Greek forces off the coast of western Mugla province’s Bodrum district were also rescued.

The crews took 47 migrants from the boat and took them ashore.

After processing, the foreign nationals were sent to the provincial migration management directorate.

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.

READ MORE: Three key takeaways: EU-Greece cover up of illegal pushbacks of migrants