"We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in the four-page report. The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Ahmed Hassan Mohammed al-Asiri, Saudi Arabia's former Deputy Head of General Intelligence Presidency, and Saudi Arabia’s Rapid Intervention Force (RIF) in connection with Khashoggi's murder. Before the announcements, U.S. officials said the sanctions and visa bans would not target the crown prince. Some of Biden's fellow Democrats demanded he do more to hold the crown prince accountable. Saudi Arabia's 2060 Eurobond rose after the crown prince was spared U.S. sanctions, though short-term debt and a basket of Saudi stocks ended lower.

Source: The Star February 27, 2021 00:56 UTC