IZMIR

The Turkish Coast Guard announced Saturday that it had rescued 28 irregular migrants in the Aegean Sea.

Coast guard units rescued the irregular migrants from an inflatable boat off Seferihisar in the western Izmir province, the Turkish Coast Guard said in a statement.

The 28 irregular migrants, including 10 children, had been illegally pushed back into Turkish territorial waters by Greek authorities.

They were handed to local immigration authorities for deportation.

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.