Türkiye records new illegal pushbacks by Greece in Aegean Sea

Türkiye has recorded fresh footage of Greek forces pushing boats carrying irregular migrants in the Aegean Sea to the Turkish side, Defence Ministry said. 

Turkish navy drone recorded on Friday footage of Greek forces pushing two boats carrying irregular migrants to the coast of Cesme in the Izmir province, Türkiye's National Defence Ministry said on Saturday. 

Türkiye's Coast Guard saved the lives of the irregular migrants after they were illegally pushed by the Greek forces. 

The situation was immediately reported to the Turkish Coast Guard Command and the migrants were rescued, the ministry added.

Ankara and international human rights groups have repeatedly condemned Greece's illegal practice of pushing back asylum seekers.

The pushbacks violate humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable people, including women and children.

READ MORE: EU border agency 'covered up' Greek pushbacks

A longstanding issue

Athens has repeatedly denied accusations by rights groups and United Nations refugee agency UNHCR that it pushes migrants out of Greek waters, saying it intercepts boats at sea to protect its borders.

Greece was the frontline of Europe's migration crisis in 2015 and 2016 when around a million refugees fleeing war and poverty in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan arrived.

READ MORE: Türkiye: Greece pushes a migrant boat back into Turkish waters