Turkish Coast Guard rescues 160 irregular migrants

The Turkish Coast Guard rescued 160 irregular migrants Wednesday in separate operations.

Coast guard units rescued 59 irregular migrants in the Aegean Sea off the country's southwestern coast.

Acting on a tip, they found the migrants in a lifeboat off the coast of Karaburun district in Izmir province.

They were pushed back by Greek forces into Turkish territorial waters, said coast guard sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

In addition, the Turkish Coast Guard rescued a total of 64 irregular migrants in two rubber boats off the coast of Çeşme district in Izmir.

Another group of 18 irregular migrants who were pushed backed by Greek forces into Turkish territorial waters were rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard off the coast of Marmaris district in Muğla province.

In a separate operation, coast guard units also found 19 irregular migrants in two rubber boats off the coast of Bodrum in the Muğla province.

All of the irregular migrants were taken to provincial migration offices.

Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum seekers aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

The Turkish government and human 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.

Turkey already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any other country in the world, and is taking new security measures on its borders to humanely prevent a fresh influx of migrants.