WASHINGTON

Türkiye rescued 22 irregular migrants after Greek authorities pushed them back into Turkish territorial waters, authorities said Monday.

Coast guard units rescued the migrants, including one child, from a lifeboat off the coast of Fethiye in Türkiye's southwestern province of Mugla on Sunday, the Turkish Coast Guard said in a statement.

Türkiye 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.