UPDATE – Turkish-Saudi team completes probe at Saudi consulate

CHANGES HEADLINE, LEDE, ADDS DETAILS

By Ilyas Kacar

ISTANBUL (AA) – A joint investigation into the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was completed early Thursday.

All officials from the joint Turkish-Saudi team have left the area after searching the Saudi consul general's official residence as well as the Saudi consulate building in Istanbul, according to an Anadolu Agency correspondent at the scene.

Crime scene investigation units arrived at the Istanbul residence of Mohammad al-Otaibi around 4:40 p.m. local time (1340 GMT). Al-Otaibi left Turkey for Riyadh on Tuesday.

The Turkish team concluded its search for evidence in nine hours and left but returned to the Saudi consulate to continue searching the premises.

Earlier in the day, a group of Saudi officials arrived at the Saudi consul general's residence to take part in the joint probe with Turkish investigators into Khashoggi’s disappearance.

Khashoggi has long been feared killed after he entered the Saudi Consulate building in Istanbul on Oct. 2 and was never seen leaving.

On the same day, 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.