ISTANBUL

A Turkish navy drone recorded footage of Greek forces illegally pushing back a boat carrying irregular migrants to Turkish territorial waters, the National Defense Ministry said on Monday.

The illegal Greek pushback was recorded 3.62 miles (5.82 kilometers) southwest off the coast of Cesme 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.

Ankara and international 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 people, including women and children.

Türkiye has been a key transit point for irregular migrants who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution in their countries.

It 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 an influx of migrants.