Saudi Arabia's top diplomat in Istanbul Mohammed al-Otaibi has reportedly left Turkey, hours after it was announced his official residence would be searched in connection with a journalist's disappearance.
The Saudi consul general apparently left on a 2pm flight as security forces set up barricades outside his residence in the city, Sky News reported.
It comes as police who searched the nearby Saudi consulate found evidence dissident writer Jamal Khashoggi died there, according to a senior Turkish official.
Khashoggi, a 60-year-old US resident, has not been seen since entering the building on 2 October to get documents for his wedding. There are claims that he was killed and dismembered inside the building by a 15-member Saudi "assassination squad". Saudi Arabia called the allegation "baseless", but reports suggest they may admit he died during a botched interrogation.
