Biodun.BBC: BREAKING AND UPDATE: Jamal Khashoggi case: Journalist 'died after fight'

by Alara Berrak, Leila Mohamed, and Biodun Iginla, BBC News, Istanbul

Journalist Jamal Khashoggi died after a fight in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the country's state TV reported quoting an initial probe.

It said deputy intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and Saud al-Qahtani, senior aide to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, were dismissed over the affair.

The news bulletin said 18 Saudi nationals have now been detained as part of the continuing probe.

This is the first time the kingdom has admitted Mr Khashoggi has died.

Saudi King Salman has also reportedly ordered the formation of a ministerial committee, headed by Crown Prince Mohammed, to restructure the intelligence services.

The journalist was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October, to pick up paperwork that would allow him to marry his fiancée Hatice Cengiz.

Reports on Saudi state media followed shortly after King Salman spoke on the phone to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the case.

The pair exchanged information and agreed to continue cooperation into the investigation, Turkish presidential sources said.

A Turkish forensic officer waits outside the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul 17 October 2018 — Image captionTurkish forensic investigators have already searched the Saudi consulate and consul's residence

Earlier police in Turkey expanded their search for Mr Khashoggi's body, with unnamed officials saying his body may have been disposed of in the nearby Belgrad forest or on farmland.

Turkey alleges he was murdered in the consulate by a Saudi hit squad.

What happened to Jamal Khashoggi?

Mr Khashoggi - a prominent journalist who fell out of favour with the Saudi government - had been living in self-imposed exile in the US since last year.

He was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Turkey's capital Istanbul on 2 October, to pick up paperwork that would allow him to marry his fiancée Hatice Cengiz.

Turkish officials believe Mr Khashoggi was killed by a team of Saudi agents inside the consulate, and his body then removed.

Saudi Arabia has denied the claims, and initially insisted Mr Khashoggi had freely left the embassy.

Media captionCCTV footage shows missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul

Why does Turkey say he was murdered?

Turkish officials say they have audio and video recordings that show Mr Khashoggi being murdered by a team of Saudi agents.

Turkish newspapers with close links to the government have published gruesome details of the alleged audio, including what they describe as the sounds of screams and Mr Khashoggi being interrogated and tortured.

Meanwhile, Turkish media say they have identified a 15-member team of suspected Saudi agents who flew into and out of Istanbul on the day of the disappearance.

Turkish officials say the group brought a bone saw into the country and that one of its members was a doctor who specialised in post-mortems.