Turkish Coast Guard Command on its website that coast guard teams were dispatched to the area to rescue 25 migrants off Çeşme district in Izmir province from a rubber boat.

In a separate operation, another Turkish Coast Guard team was dispatched off the coast of Kuşadası in western Izmir province and rescued at least 34 asylum seekers. 

According to the statement, the boats carrying irregular migrants were pushed back to Turkish territorial waters by Greek Coast Guard forces.

Historically, Turkey has been a country of origin, transit, and destination for migrants and was a crossroads between Europe and Asia.

Recent regional events have contributed to Turkey increasingly becoming a major destination and transit country for those fleeing conflict, poverty, and disasters.

Turkey hosts one of the largest migrant and refugee populations in the world. 

According to the official reports, 113,865 irregular migrants held across the country in 2020. (ILKHA)