Pompeo reaffirms to Saudi crown prince US will hold Khashoggi’s killers ‘accountable’

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reaffirmed to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a call Sunday that the U.S. will hold those involved in the killing of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi “accountable.”

“The secretary emphasized that the United States will hold all of those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi accountable, and that Saudi Arabia must do the same,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.

Khashoggi, a U.S. resident, disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. 

{mosads}Turkish officials have said that Khashoggi was tortured, murdered and dismembered by Saudi operatives under orders “from the highest levels of the Saudi government.“

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Saturday that Turkey gave recordings related to Khashoggi’s murder to the U.S. and other countries.

None of the countries have acknowledged hearing the recordings and Pompeo denied Erdoğan’s previous claims that the the secretary of State heard or saw transcripts of the recordings.

Saudi Arabia originally dodged accusations relating to Khashoggi’s death, before admitting that he was murdered and that the killing was premeditated. 

Still, Crown Prince Mohammed has denied having any knowledge of the murder prior to the Saudi investigation. 

After Khashoggi’s killing, U.S. officials, including Pompeo, have called for a ceasefire in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is battling Iran in a proxy war. 

Secretary of Defense James Mattis emphasized that the decision was unrelated to the Khashoggi matter.

Nauert said that Pompeo and the crown prince discussed the matter Sunday.

“On Yemen, the secretary reiterated the United States’ calls for a cessation of hostilities and for all parties to come to the table to negotiate a peaceful solution to the conflict under the U.N. Special Envoy,” she said.