Erdoğan to make statement on Khashoggi killing Tuesday

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday said he will make a statement on the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi Tuesday.

"On this issue [Khashoggi’s killing], I will make statements hopefully on Tuesday during the [ruling Justice and Development Party’s weekly] group meeting," he said at the opening ceremony of the driverless metro line on the Asian side of Istanbul.

"Why did these 15 people came here [in Istanbul], why were 18 people arrested [in Saudi Arabia]? These need to be explained in detail," he said.

Erdoğan said that he would address the issues "in detail" during the party’s group meeting on Tuesday.

Khashoggi was last seen on Oct. 2 when he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

After days of denying to know his whereabouts, Saudi Arabia on Saturday claimed Khashoggi died during a fight inside the consulate.

On the day of Khashoggi’s disappearance, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while he was still inside, according to Turkish police sources. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.

A joint Turkish-Saudi team completed an investigation into the case on Thursday after searching the residence of the consul general as well as the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.