Saudi consul leaves Istanbul for Riyadh

Saudi Arabia's consul to Istanbul on Tuesday left the Turkish city bound for Riyadh on a scheduled flight, reports said, as Turkey prepared to search his residence in the probe into the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashogghi.

Consul general Mohammed al-Otaibi took off for Riyadh on a 1400 GMT flight from Istanbul, the Haber-Turk newspaper reported on its website. The state-run Anadolu news agency also reported he had left Turkey. The website of Ataturk International Airport showed a flight of flag-carrier Saudia took off for Riyadh at 1400 GMT.