Police raided addresses across Turkey yesterday and detained dozens of people after nearly three weeks of anti-government protests, local media reported.

State media TRT said 25 people had been detained in the capital Ankara, 13 in Eskisehir to the west and "many" in Istanbul.

A police source confirmed the operation and said: "For now, only provocateurs will be taken for questioning."

Turkey has been rocked by demonstrations that began in and around Istanbul's Taksim Square and turned violent after police sought to clear protesters using teargas and water cannon.

Clashes have erupted in cities across the country, as people protest against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's leadership.

Mr Erdogan has struck a defiant tone in the face of the biggest public challenge to his 10-year rule. On Sunday, he told hundreds of thousands of supporters in Istanbul the disturbances had been manipulated by "terrorists".