MUGLA/IZMIR, Türkiye

The Turkish Coast Guard on Saturday rescued a total of 38 irregular migrants in the Aegean Sea.

A total of 19 irregular migrants were rescued off the district of Foca in Izmir province from a life raft, the Coast Guard Command said on its website.

Also, 19 migrants in a lifeboat off Mugla province's Datca district were rescued after being pushed into Turkish territorial waters by Greek forces, 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 Gozde Bayar