Greece is reporting a series of incidents with Turkey’s coast guard in the narrow stretch of water between the eastern Greek island of Lesbos and the Turkish coast, at a time of generally testy relations between the two neighbours and NATO allies.
The Greek coast guard said three incidents occurred Friday morning northeast of Lesbos, an island on the main migrant smuggling route from Turkey to Greece. It said two involved Turkish vessels escorting or pushing dinghies carrying migrants toward Greek territorial waters.
There was no immediate reaction from Turkish authorities. Turkey and Greece have long traded accusations over the migration issue.
The Turkish coast guard, as well as numerous refugee rights organisations and aid groups, have accused the Greek coast guard of conducting pushbacks — the illegal summary deportation of migrants, who have reached Greek territory, back to Turkey without allowing them to apply for asylum.