Erdogan conveys condolences to Khashoggi’s family

By Nilay Kar Onum

ANKARA (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan conveyed on Tuesday his condolences to the family of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi over phone, presidential sources said.

Erdogan held phone conversation with Khashoggi's son Abdullah Khashoggi and other family members, and said he is “deeply saddened” by killing of the Saudi journalist, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Turkey will monitor the case and will do everything needed to enlighten the murder, he added.

Speaking during his Justice and Development (AK) Party's group meeting at parliament earlier in the day, Erdogan said Khashoggi's murder was premeditated, adding that his country had strong evidence showing that it was planned.

Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

After denying knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts for two weeks, Saudi Arabia said he was killed during a "brawl" inside the consulate.

His body has not been recovered, nor has Saudi Arabia explained its shifting narrative on what transpired.