Türkiye rescues 116 irregular migrants

IZMIR

Turkish authorities reported on Monday that they had rescued 116 irregular migrants who were allegedly pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greek authorities.

The Turkish Coast Guard conducted multiple rescue operations off the western coast of Türkiye. In the Karaburun district of Izmir province, 35 migrants, including one child, were rescued from a rubber boat. In a separate operation in the same area, 44 migrants, five of them children, were saved. Off the Dalaman district in Mugla province, an additional 37 migrants, including 19 children, were rescued.

The Coast Guard Command stated that all these migrants had been pushed back into Turkish waters by Greek coastal authorities.

Türkiye has long been a crucial transit point for asylum seekers attempting to reach Europe, particularly those fleeing war and persecution. The country has repeatedly criticized Greece's practice of pushbacks, describing it as a violation of humanitarian values and international law.

Ankara, along with global rights groups, has condemned these actions, arguing that they endanger the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Türkiye and Greece over the handling of migrants in the Aegean Sea, as well as the broader challenges faced by countries dealing with irregular migration in the region.