The Turkish coast guard units saved 160 irregular migrants, who were pushed back into Turkey's territorial waters by Greek forces off the provinces of Muğla and Izmir, in separate operations on Wednesday.

Coast guard units rescued 59 irregular migrants in the Aegean Sea off the country’s southwestern coast. Acting on a tip, they found the migrants in a lifeboat off the coast of Karaburun district in Izmir province.

They were pushed back by Greek forces into Turkish territorial waters, said coast guard sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

In addition, a total of 64 irregular migrants in two rubber boats were rescued by the Turkish coast guard off the coast of Çesme district in Izmir.

Another group of 18 irregular migrants who were pushed backed by Greek forces into Turkish territorial waters were rescued off the coast of Marmaris district in Muğla province.

In a separate operation, coast guard units also found 19 irregular migrants in two rubber boats off the coast of Bodrum in the Muğla province.

All of the irregular migrants were taken to provincial migration offices.

Turkey and Greece are key transit points for migrants looking to cross into Europe, fleeing war and persecution to start new lives. Turkey has accused Greece of large-scale pushbacks, summary deportations and denying migrants access to asylum procedures, which is a violation of international law.

Turkey's five Aegean provinces – Çanakkale, Balıkesir, Izmir, Muğla and Aydın – are prime spots for refugees to leave Turkey for the European Union, with Greek islands within sight of the Turkish coast.

Turkey already hosts nearly 4 million refugees, more than any other country in the world, and is taking new security measures on its borders to humanely prevent a fresh influx of migrants.

In recent years, hundreds of thousands have made short but perilous journeys across the Aegean to reach northern and Western Europe in search of a better life. Hundreds of people have died at sea as many boats carrying refugees often sink or capsize. The Turkish coast guard command has rescued thousands of others.

Through its March 2016 agreement with the EU, Turkey played a key role in bringing down migrant numbers and alleviating the crisis.

Recently, the Presidency of Migration Management (PMM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched a European Union-funded project for better refugee legislation. The project aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of international protection and temporary protection procedures in compliance with international principles and national legislation. The project has a budget of $3 million and will be implemented over a three-year period.

Thanks to the financial assistance of the EU and close cooperation between the PMM and UNHCR, persons in need of international protection have access to quality and fair asylum procedures, which are a vital component of sustainable solutions. Within the scope of the project, several activities will be undertaken, including the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and tools to increase the efficiency and fairness of asylum procedures, monitoring mechanisms for harmonization of practices, and training with sustainable mechanisms such as e-learning platforms. These activities will help ensure that some of the world’s most vulnerable persons can look forward to a life full of hope and dignity.

Greece rejects pushbacks

Greece's independent authority for transparency on March 29 had rejected accusations of migrant pushbacks after an examination process despite several footages and reports by human rights organizations, the United Nations as well as Turkey.

Greece has repeatedly been accused by human rights groups and Turkey of illegally sending back asylum-seekers who have reached Greek shores and abandoning them at sea. Similar claims have been made concerning asylum-seekers who cross the land border with Turkey and are allegedly clandestinely sent back.

Pushbacks are considered contrary to international refugee protection agreements that say people should not be expelled or returned to a country where their life or safety might be in danger due to their race, religion, nationality or membership in a social or political group.

Last October, Netherlands-based Lighthouse Reports said a joint investigation with European media organizations collected and analyzed 635 videos of alleged pushbacks in the Aegean Sea, "at least 15 of them showing masked men in action."

It said current and former senior officers in the Greek coast guard reviewed the videos and "were able to identify the masked men as members of elite Greek coast guard units."

Greek officials at the time denied the allegations.

Last year, the UNHCR, Filippo Grandi, criticized European countries for their treatment of migrants as he called on multiple countries to defend the principles of the Geneva Refugee Convention.

Amnesty International said last year that illegal pushbacks of refugees and migrants to Turkey had become Greece's "de facto" border policy The Greek government has repeatedly denied the accusations.

Between January 2020 and March 2021, the UNHCR documented around 300 reported incidents of illegal expulsions around the Aegean islands and Greece's northeastern Evros land border with Turkey. Several migrant support groups, including the Greek Helsinki Monitor, in May filed a complaint with the European Court of Justice against Frontex, the EU's border monitoring agency.