MUGLA/CANAKKALE, Türkiye

The Turkish Coast Guard rescued 374 irregular migrants in the Aegean Sea.

They included 41 migrants who were rescued from a rubber boat off Datca district in Türkiye’s Mugla province and 165 off Canakkale province, the Coast Guard Command said Monday on its website.

Also, 68 migrants in a rubber boat off Izmir province were rescued after being pushed into Turkish territorial waters by Greek forces, according to the Coast Guard Command.

In addition, 20 irregular migrants preparing to leave the country were caught, according to the Coast Guard Command.

The migrants were taken to the provincial migration management directorate.

Türkiye 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.

*Writing by Necva Tastan in Istanbul