Saudi consulate employees in Istanbul give testimony at prosecutor's office

Employees working at the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul are giving testimony at the Turkish prosecutor’s office regarding the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Friday, according to reports.

Fifteen Turkish employees of the consulate came to Istanbul's Caglayan courthouse to testify, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The staffers include drivers, accountants, and telephone operators.

Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi journalist and intellectual, has remained unaccounted for since Oct. 2, when he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

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

Ever since he went missing, speculation has mounted that he was killed by the Saudi authorities, who have yet to provide a convincing explanation for his disappearance.

Meanwhile, several countries -- including Turkey, the U.S. and the U.K. -- have continued to press Riyadh for clarification.

Turkish and Saudi officials this week started conducting joint inspections at the consulate and consul general's residence as part of the investigation.