US says 'handful more weeks' before sanctions over Khashoggi murder

The US Secretary of State has said it would be a "handful more weeks" before Washington had evidence to impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

Mike Pompeo made the comments in a radio interview on Thursday, according to the Reuters news agency.

He said the administration is "reviewing putting sanctions on the individuals that we have been able to identify to date that ... were engaged in that murder."

Also on Thursday, State Department implicitly urged Saudi Arabia to reveal the location of the body of slain dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi and return it to his family for burial as soon as possible.

State Department spokesperson Robert Palladino told reporters the US will "hold accountable not only those who executed the murder, but also those who led, were involved and were connected to it."

Palladino did not name Saudi Arabia in his remarks, but Riyadh has already confessed to the killing at its consulate in Istanbul, blaming it on rogue agents, yet has failed to reveal the location of Khashoggi's remains despite stating it has been disposed of by a 'local collaborator'.

Khashoggi disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October to complete paperwork.

Saudi Arabia initially claimed that he left the consulate building alive, before saying a team of spies killed Khashoggi, without the knowledge of MbS.

Turkey is seeking the extradition of 18 Saudi suspects who Riyadh claims are being detained in Saudi Arabia over the killing of Khashoggi.

Turkey’s justice minister on Thursday said the country wants Saudi authorities to reveal the whereabouts of the body of the murdered journalist, who was killed last month in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Turkey had expected Saudi Arabia to cooperate in its investigation, minister Abdulhamit Gul told reporters.