Roundup: Turkey stages largest-ever rally to show unity against coup bid

Weeks of rallies in protest of a foiled coup attempt in Turkey culminated on Sunday in a massive gathering here never seen in the country's modern history that called for "one heart, one nation."

Some 3.5 million to five million Turks poured into the Yenikapi Square in Istanbul waving Turkish flags, joining President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and leaders of the country's main political parties.

In his speech, Erdogan said in the face of solidarity against coup plotters, "the country's enemies have now realized that their job is difficult."

"It is the proclamation and evidence that Turkey will reach its 2023 targets," he stressed, referring to goals set for the occasion of the republic's 100th anniversary that includes to be among the world's top 10 economies.

Speaking of the possibility of restoring the death penalty, the president vowed once again to approve the decision to be taken by the parliament.

The issue of a reinstated capital punishment was raised in the wake of the failed bid on July 15 but has sparked concern in the West.

Binali Yildirim, leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party and the prime minister, voiced his gratitude to the leaders of the opposition parties for being present at the rally and said his party would do its best to preserve the unity.

The rally under the theme of "Democracy and Martyrs" was called for by the president, but the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party that is also represented in parliament was not invited for its link to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has been seeking autonomy in southeastern Turkey.

The bid to overthrow the government by a faction within the military was crushed within hours, but left 240 people dead and more than 2,000 others injured.

The speech by Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar was frequently cut short by cheers and applause from the crowd.

Akar was captured by the plotters at the start of the coup bid, but was rescued later by security forces.

"Turkish armed forces are on duty and on the service of its people and the state," the general said.

The Turkish military, the most powerful after the U.S. within the NATO bloc, is being restructured in Anraka's sweeping efforts to clean state institutions of coup suspects and followers of the so-called Gulen movement led by Fetullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric residing in the United States.

Erdogan and other top Turkish officials have accused Gulen of masterminding the failed coup and demanded his extradition, straining further the relations with Washington.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the opposition Republican People's Party, urged all the political parties to take all the precautions needed to protect the parliamentary system, secularism and democracy.

Drawing attention to the widespread social consensus against all kind of coups, he said, "If we would be able to carry this culture of consensus even further, we will leave a better Turkey to the next generations."

A sense of reconciliation between the ruling and opposition parties has been felt in the past weeks, a development unthinkable prior to the coup attempt.

"As long as we maintain our unity and solidarity, no traitor could harm us," claimed Devlet Bahceli, leader of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party.

Rallies to "watch democracy" have been staged every night in city squares across Turkey since the coup attempt was foiled.

Erdogan announced that the "democracy watch" rallies will continue until the coming Wednesday.

Extreme security measures were taken for the massive Yenikapi rally, with 30,000 police officers and several warships and coast guard boats deployed nearby. Endit