MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd July, 2023) A total of 84 illegal migrants from Afghanistan have been rescued in the Aegean Sea off the coast of the northwestern Turkish province of Canakkale, Turkish media reported on Monday.
On Saturday, two boats with 37 and 47 refugees respectively were allegedly pushed out by Greece to the territorial waters of Turkey, the Anadolu news agency reported. Later that day, the Turkish Coast Guard received two separate signals about the inflatable vessels with refugees on board off the coast of Canakkale and sent patrol boats to save them.
After passing relevant procedures, all 84 illegal migrants were taken to the local migration department, the report said.
On Saturday, German newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported, citing sources, that the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) might suspend its mission in Greece due to Athens' alleged unwillingness to cooperate on illegal migration, as well as the behavior of Greek border guards suspected of preventing the rescue of refugees.
NATO allies Greece and Turkey have been at odds for decades over a number of issues, including illegal migration. Athens has continuously accused Ankara of exploiting migrants as a political leverage in a decades-long territorial dispute between the countries, while Turkey has said that Greece violates international humanitarian law and applies force against migrants and refugees to push them back with little chance of survival.
