Ankara, Riyadh Clash over Missing Saudi Journalist Khashoggi

Local Editor

Turkish and Saudi authorities gave conflicting accounts Wednesday about the whereabouts of Saudi critic and journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who moved to Washington last year fearing retribution for his views and has not been seen nearly 30 hours after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Khashoggi’s Turkish fiancée as well as a close friend contacted by Reuters said he had disappeared after entering the diplomatic mission Tuesday to secure documentation of his divorce so that he could remarry.

The fiancée, who asked not to be named, said she had waited outside the consulate from 1 p.m. local time and called the police when he had not reappeared.

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Khashoggi was still in the consulate and the government was monitoring the situation.

“Our relevant authorities are in contact and engaged in negotiations with their [Saudi] counterparts. I hope this issue will be resolved with ease,” he told reporters.

But a Saudi official denied that Khashoggi was in the consulate.

“Mr. Khashoggi visited the consulate to request paperwork related to his marital status and exited shortly thereafter,” the official said.

“He is not in the consulate nor in Saudi custody.”

His fiancée, who returned to the consulate Wednesday after waiting for 12 hours the day before, repudiated that claim.

Turkey has had strained relations with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states since June 2017, when Ankara stood by Qatar in a regional row. Arab states cut trade and diplomatic ties with Qatar over alleged links to terrorism, which Doha denies.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team