Germany, France Demand Explanation From Saudi Arabia Over Khashoggi's Death

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian condemned the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and called for an in-depth investigation into the issue. As the top diplomat noted, many questions surrounding the death of the journalist, remain unanswered.

"The confirmation of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi's death is a first step toward the establishment of the truth. However, many questions remain unanswered," Le Drian added.

At the same time, speaking about the recent announcement by the Saudi side, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called for transparency about circumstances of Khashoggi's death.

"We condemn this act in the strongest terms," Angela Merkel and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a joint statement issued on Saturday. "We expect transparency from Saudi Arabia about the circumstances of his death… The information available about events in the Istanbul consulate is inadequate."

Merkel and Maas expressed their condolences to Khashoggi's friends and family, adding that those responsible for his death must be held accountable.

Saudi Arabia Speaks About Khashoggi's Death

Earlier in the day, the Saudi prosecutor-general confirmed the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the building of the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. According to him, the tragic event was caused by a fight that broke out between Khashoggi and people who met him in the consulate on October 2.

Reacting to the information, Turkey vowed to reveal all the details of the probe into Khashoggi's death, declaring that they would not rush to conclusions until the investigation has ended.

The day before, employees of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul testified to prosecutors as part of the investigation into the journalist's death. Prior to this, Turkish police and prosecutors had conducted searches in both the consulate and the consul's residence in Istanbul.