The Saudi Kingdom has ultimately confirmed that writer and critic Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul city. Saudi state media reported Khashoggi was killed in “fist-fight” with the Kingdom’s officials inside its consulate. The announcement marked a U-turn from the Kingdom, which had previously denied the entire episode.
In fact, the Kingdom had no other option except to confirm the death because of evidence gathered by Turkish officials. The prima facie evidences pointed fingers towards Saudi ruling high-ups, particularly Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, about their involvement in the murder. No doubt, the uproar sparked by the Khashoggi’s killing across the globe has posed the most serious diplomatic crisis for Saudi Arabia in the recent time.
Already the Kingdom has fired several officials, including royal court adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Ahmed Asiri. Besides, 18 Saudi nationals have been arrested. But the Saudi’s story was not convincing that the hit squad that had arrived in Istanbul to have a discussion with Khashoggi. The reality is that the Turkish officials were hunting for the severed parts of the body in the bushes and jungle.
US President Donald Trump said Saudi Arabia’s announcement confirming Khashoggi’s death is a “good first step, a big step”. We see in order to maintain relations, Trump is trying to provide the Saudis an exit and way out but diplomatic circles think it very much depends on whether the Turks are going to accept this Saudi story as they may have their own version of what happened on their soil. The Turkish investigators, who used audio recordings of Khashoggi’s alleged murder to guide their search, also confirmed that Salah Muhammad al-Tubaigy, an autopsy expert, began cutting up the journalist’s body immediately after he was killed.
 A string of multinational companies and individuals along with European aerospace giant Airbus have pulled out of Riyadh’s Future Investment Initiative conference in the wake of Khashoggi’s disappearance. We know, there are many processes that could be applied against any critic or political dissident.
Killing of Khashoggi so brutally with the involvement of Saudi Kingdom has damaged the image brutally not only of the Saudi Kingdom but generally of all Muslim countries. What is most unfortunate is that it was so unnecessary.
Â
