Turkey's president Erdogan stages mass rally in show of strength after coup attempt as over one million Turks turn out

Turkey: Turkey's president Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday staged a mass rally in Istanbul tagged "Democracy and Martyrs' Rally" with more than one million Turks joining in the rally denounce a failed coup attempt staged last month as a show of strength following Western criticism of widespread purges and detentions.

President Erdogan is due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in St Petersburg for talks intended to end ongoing tensions between the two nations after Turkey downed a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border in November 2016.
Speaking to TASS news agency during an interview published on Sunday, Erdogan said

"At the talks with my friend Vladimir, I believe, a new page in bilateral relations will be opened. Our countries have a lot to do together,"

The rally in Istanbul on Sunday, marks the end of three weeks of nightly demonstrations by supporters of Erdogan.

Several banners were seen with different messages like; "You are a gift from God, Erdogan" or "Order us to die and we will do it".

Taking part in the rally were also major opposition parties in support of the government.

Since the failed coup attempt, authorities have suspended, detained and investigated thousands of people, including soldiers, police, judges, journalists, medics and civil servants, which has prompted concern among Western allies that Erdogan is using the purge to tighten his grip on power.