TheCable

Mohammed bin Salman, crowned prince of Saudi Arabia, on Monday called Salah Khashoggi, son of Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi journalist killed in the country’s consulate in Turkey, to express his condolences.

Abdulaziz Salma, Saudi king, also made a similar call.

Khashoggi, 59, was last seen on October 2, entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.

He is alleged to have been killed on the orders of the Saudi government.

A 15-member Saudi team reportedly flew to Istanbul and laid in wait for Khashoggi at the consulate and then killed and dismembered him, an allegation that the authorities of the kingdom has denied.

The royal family, after initial denial of knowledge of the journalist’s death, claimed that the deceased died in a “fistfight”.

Adel al-Jubeir, saudi foreign minister, said Khashoggi’s killing was “a rogue operation” and that “we don’t know where the body is.”

“The individuals who did this did this outside the scope of their authority,” he said.

“There obviously was a tremendous mistake made and what compounded the mistake was the attempt to try to cover up. That is unacceptable to the government.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has said the details of Khashoggi’s killing “will be revealed in all its nakedness”

Eighteen Saudi officials are said to have been detained in connection with the death.