Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to make week-long domestic tour amid Khashoggi crisis
- Tour is the first such trip for the 82-year-old king since he acceded to the throne in 2015
- Saudi Arabia is facing international outcry over journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder
It is the first such trip for the 82-year-old king since he acceded to the throne of the world’s top oil exporter in 2015, according to local media, which reported expected stops in the provinces of Qassim and Hail, both northwest of Riyadh.
Online news site Sabq said the king would launch health, education and infrastructure projects, but few other details were immediately available.
The tour comes as Saudi Arabia faces an international outcry over Khashoggi’s murder a month ago in its consulate in Istanbul. Riyadh initially denied any role in his disappearance, but under pressure from Turkish authorities it eventually identified 18 suspects in the case.
It was not immediately clear if the king’s powerful son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, would be participating in the tour.