Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was strangled to death as soon as he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, a senior Turkish official has said.
In a statement from the office of chief Istanbul prosecutor Irfan Fidan, Mr Khashoggi was said to have been the victim of a premeditated killing and that his body was then dismembered and disposed of.
The new details surrounding the death of the 59-year-old were released following a meeting between Mr Fidan and Saudi counterpart Saud al-Mojeb.
It is the first public confirmation by a Turkish official that The Washington Post columnist was strangled and dismembered, but Mr Fidan said no "concrete results" had come of his discussions with Mr al-Mojeb regarding who ordered the killing.
The whereabouts of the remains of Mr Khashoggi also remain unknown despite "good-willed efforts" by Turkey to uncover the truth, the statement added.
Sources have said that body parts belonging to the writer have been discovered in the garden of the Saudi consul general in Istanbul - located around 500 metres away from the consulate.
They said the Saudi dissident had been "cut up" and his face "disfigured".
Saudi Arabia has so far denied the extradition of 18 suspects detained in Riyadh, but officials insist the kingdom will bring them to justice once the investigation is complete.
Saudi Foreign minister Adel al Jubeir has described the international outcry over the killing as "hysterical" - and told critics they should should wait until Riyadh has completed its investigation before ascribing blame.
In this image from TV, Hatice Cengiz reacts during an interview on Turkish television channel HaberTurk on Friday October 26th 2018 | Image: HaberTurk/AP/Press Association Images
Mr Khashoggi had gone to the consulate to collect paperwork needed to marry fiancee Hatice Cengiz, who has given a barbed message to US President Donald Trump over the killing.
Speaking at a memorial in London, she said she was disappointed in the actions of the leadership in many countries, particularly in the US, and implied Mr Trump was letting money sway him.
Mr Trump has condemned the killing and said was part of the "worst cover-up in the history of cover-ups", but has also confirmed that he will not cancel existing contracts with Saudi Arabia because it would cost US jobs.
