The Turkish Coast Guard said it saved 11 more asylum-seekers, who were illegally pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greek authorities on Friday.
Teams were dispatched off the coast of Datça in southwestern Muğla province after the coast guard learned that there were irregular migrants on a lifeboat.
The Coast Guard also said 1,007 irregular migrants were rescued in 31 separate incidents between Dec. 23 and 29 as part of the fight against irregular migration.
Alongside irregular migrants, three migrant smuggling suspects were arrested.
Türkiye has been a key transit point for asylum seekers trying to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.
Human rights groups and media outlets have frequently reported on illegal pushbacks and other human rights breaches by Greek authorities.
Ankara 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.
Turkish drone captures illegal Greek pushback of irregular migrants
Meanwhile, a Turkish navy drone recorded footage of Greek forces illegally pushing back a boat carrying irregular migrants to Turkish territorial waters, the Defense Ministry said Monday.
Ege Denizi'nin Çeşme güneybatısında, 29 Aralık 2022 tarihinde Yunanistan’a ait sahil güvenlik botu tarafından, düzensiz göçmenlerin Türk sahiline 3.62 mil mesafede kara sularına itildiği Deniz Kuvvetlerimize ait İHA ile tespit edildi.#MSB pic.twitter.com/ZzjKhFZhbw
— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) January 2, 2023
The illegal Greek pushback was recorded 3.62 miles (5.82 kilometers) southwest off the coast of Çeşme in the Aegean Sea on Dec. 29, the ministry said in a tweet.
The Turkish Coast Guard was immediately alerted and rescued the irregular migrants, it added.
