Saudi Arabia on Sunday denied reports that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing earlier this week, was killed at the country-s consulate in Istanbul, as reported by several international media. A statement released by the state-run Saudi Press Agency SPA cited a diplomatic officer who categorically denied "these baseless allegations, and expressed his doubt that they came from Turkish officials that are informed of the investigation or are authorized to comment on the issue", reports Efe news.

The official quoted by SPA underlined that Saudi Arabia was responsible for the safety and well-being of all its citizens, wherever they may be, and that its authorities "are diligently following up on this matter to uncover the complete facts". The statement came out after reports published on Saturday night by various international media, citing Turkish officials, alleged that Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul.