A car belonging to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul has been found in the Sultangazi district of the city, Turkish media outlets said on Monday, adding that police would search the vehicle.
Turkish and Saudi authorities have been investigating the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing after entering the consulate on Oct. 2. After weeks of denying knowledge of his fate, Saudi officials said the prominent journalist was killed in a "rogue operation".
Amid Turkey's efforts to illuminate the Khashoggi case, Istanbul police found the diplomatic car in the city's Sultangazi district.
Police asked for the permission of the chief public prosecutor's office and the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia to search the vehicle.
Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
After days of denying to know his whereabouts, Saudi Arabia on Saturday claimed Khashoggi died during a fight inside the consulate.
On the day of Khashoggi's disappearance, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while he was still inside, according to Turkish police sources. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.
A joint Turkish-Saudi team completed an investigation into the case on Thursday after searching the residence of the consul general as well as the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
On Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he will make a statement on Khashoggi's killing on Tuesday during his party's group meeting at the parliament.
