US State Dept. Demands Saudi Crown Prince To Punish Those Responsible For Khashoggi Murder

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th November, 2018) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Sunday on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman must punish those responsible for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, US Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert said.

"Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.� The Secretary emphasized that the United States will hold all of those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi accountable, and that Saudi Arabia must do the same," Nauert said.

�Khashoggi disappeared on October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Saudi Arabia's acknowledgment that the journalist had been killed in a fight inside the consulate came after two weeks of denials and growing pressure from the Western allies to provide explanations. Turkey, which has conducted a separate probe into the case, claims that Khashoggi was assassinated by a hit squad sent from Saudi Arabia.

On October 26, the Saudi prosecutor general acknowledged that the journalist's murder had been premeditated, while Istanbul prosecutors said on October 31 that Khashoggi's body had been dismembered and destroyed after the murder.