President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Türkiye saved the lives of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers illegally pushed back by Greece.

“With the efforts of our Coast Guard, we have prevented deaths in the Aegean," Erdogan said at a Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy's graduation ceremony in the capital Ankara on Monday.

"In the last two years, we have saved the lives of 41,000 people who were left to die by Greece," he said.

Erdogan said the number of migrants apprehended by the Turkish Coast Guard has reached 245,000, adding Gendarmerie continues its fight against irregular migration and human traffickers.

"If anyone still criticises our defence industry breakthroughs despite the military build-up in Greece, it means they have become deprived of strategic vision," he added.

Türkiye has been a key transit point for migrants and 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.

Source: AA