Audio recordings prove that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was brutally tortured and murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Sky News and the pro-government Turkish daily Yeni Safak reported.
Khashoggi, who was a resident of the US, had entered the consulate two weeks ago and had not been seen since.
According to Sky News, in one recording Saudi Arabia's Consul General Mohammad al-Otaibi can be heard speaking with Khashoggi, after which there was “a beating.”
The report says the recording reveals that Khashoggi was “drugged” and “killed,” before a Saudi forensics expert told others to put in headphones and listen to music while he took “seven minutes” to dismember the body.
Yeni Safak reported that recordings reveal that Khashoggi had his fingers cut off while he was tortured, and was told to “shut up” or face being killed.
In the recordings, the consul general can be heard saying, “Do this outside. You’re going to get me in trouble,” according to Yeni Safak.
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo met King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Wednesday.
Before leaving for Turkey, Mr Pompeo told reporters that they "made a commitment to hold anyone connected to any wrongdoing that may be found accountable for that, whether they are a senior officer or official."