Türkiye says top Saudi Arabian government ordered journalist's killing

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on October 30. Photo: AFP

"Over the past month, Türkiye has worked to clarify all aspects of the case. Thanks to this, the world has learned that Khashoggi died in a cold-blooded murder carried out by a group of assassins. The murder was determined to have been premeditated," Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan wrote in an editorial published onWashington PostNovember 2nd

"We know that the perpetrator was among 18 suspects arrested in Saudi Arabia. Those individuals carried out orders: kill Khashoggi and leave. Ultimately, we know that the order to kill Khashoggi came from the highest levels of the Saudi government," his post said.

Erdogan said he did not believe King Salman ordered Khashoggi's killing and did not directly accuse Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has ties to some of the suspects Türkiye has identified.

The Turkish president stressed that Ankara would continue to ask questions about things "the Saudi government refuses to answer", such as where Khashoggi's body is and who ordered the assassination. "As responsible members of the international community, we must reveal the identity of the mastermind behind Khashoggi's murder," he stressed.

Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government who had lived in exile abroad since last year, disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. After nearly three weeks of saying they did not know where he was, Riyadh admitted on October 20 that Khashoggi had died in the consulate, explaining that it was the result of an argument that escalated into a fight. It fired several officials and arrested 18 suspects.

However, Saudi Arabia said a few days later that the murder was premeditated. Türkiye said that the journalist was strangled as soon as he entered the consulate, and his body was dismembered and destroyed.