Pompeo to meet Saudi King over disappearance of Khashoggi

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in Saudi Arabia to meet King Salman, amid controversy over the fate of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Mr Pompeo will then visit Turkey, where Mr Khashoggi was last seen at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago.

Turkish officials believe Mr Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi agents but the Saudis have strongly denied this.

On Monday, President Donald Trump suggested “rogue killers” could be behind Mr Khashoggi’s disappearance.

The president provided no evidence to back his comment.

However, he said that during a phone call the Saudi king had firmly denied knowing what had happened to Mr Khashoggi.

Early on Tuesday, Turkish police left the Saudi consulate, where Mr Khashoggi was last seen, after an overnight search.

It was the first time they had been allowed to enter the building since the journalist disappeared on 2 October. It followed disagreements between the two sides over the terms of any search.

However, unconfirmed reports in the US media suggest Saudi Arabia is preparing to admit that Mr Khashoggi died as a result of an interrogation that went wrong and that the original intention had been to abduct him.

Meanwhile, Arabic channel Al-Jazeera quotes the Turkish attorney-general’s office as saying it has found evidence to back claims that Mr Khashoggi was killed inside the mission.

Earlier, a Turkish security source told the BBC officials had audio and video evidence proving Mr Khashoggi was murdered there.

The issue has strained Saudi Arabia’s ties with its closest Western allies.

Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened “to our Saudi Arabian citizen.” He said that they are working closely with Turkey to find answer. I am immediately sending our Secretary of State to meet with King!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 15, 2018