Turkey rescued 26 irregular migrants in the Aegean Sea after Greek authorities pushed them back into Turkish territorial waters, authorities said Tuesday.
Coast guard units rescued the migrants, including 15 children, from a lifeboat off Dikili district in the western province of Izmir on Monday, the Turkish Coast Guard said in a statement.
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.
Ankara and global rights groups have repeatedly condemned Greece’s illegal practice, saying it violates humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.