Two Turkish newspapers critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan failed to appear on Thursday, a day after riot police stormed their sister television stations and forced them off air.

Two Turkish newspapers critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan failed to appear on Thursday, a day after riot police stormed their sister television stations and forced them off air.

The action has provoked alarm among Turkey's Western allies and global rights groups over the state of media freedom just days before the country's most crucial election in years.

Riot police firing tear gas and water cannon stormed the Istanbul offices of two television stations linked to a bitter Erdogan rival and pulled the plug Wednesday, triggering brawls with staff and demonstrations in Istanbul.

The spectacular raids targeted the media operations of the multi-billion dollar Kozi-Ipek conglomerate, which is accused of financing Fethullah Gulen, a one-time Erdogan ally who turned to be an arch-foe.

The group's two stations, Bugun TV and KanalTurk, remain off air while its two newspapers, Bugun and Millet, were prevented from appearing Thursday after court-appointed administrators moved in.

Millet published the front page of what would have been its Thursday edition on Twitter with a photograph of a bloodied press card and the headline "A bloody putsch".

Critics accuse the government of trying to quash dissent ahead of Sunday's vote, which opinion polls say is unlikely to deliver Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) the clear victory it so desperately desires.

"The government has shown today what will happen to this country if we do not put a halt to this oppression on Sunday," Eren Erdem, a lawmaker with the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said on Twitter.

Turkey is holding its second election in five months after the AKP, which has dominated for 13 years, lost its majority in a stunning election setback in June.