Erdogan to make first visit to Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi murder

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According to an official, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be flying to Saudi Arabia on Thursday, which will be his first visit since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Istanbul consulate in 2018, according to AFP.

The trip, which will last for two days, comes after the Istanbul court transferred the Khashoggi murder case to Saudi Arabia earlier this month, halting the trial in the absence of 26 suspects.

Turkey made Saudi Arabia especially angry when Ankara investigated the murder. Erdogan stressed that the investigation was ordered at the "highest levels" of the Saudi kingdom.

The ties between the two countries further deteriorated when Saudi Arabia attempted to pressure Turkey's economy by boycotting their imports.

Turkey suspended the Khashoggi trial at a time when the country is dealing with inflation hiking up in addition to protests which have wounded Erdogan's legitimacy in the government, particularly before the elections in 2023. 

See more: The Economic Crisis in Turkey

 

Ankara for the time being is attempting to mend ties with the Gulf - which have been strained since the so-called Arab Spring - seeking financial support to mitigate the economic crisis at home.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is likely to be the one leading the talks on Thursday.