WASHINGTON: Asserting that it was determined to "hold all those responsible" for the killing of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi accountable, the United States has said that reports indicating that it had made a final conclusion on the matter were inaccurate.
"Recent reports indicating that the US government has made a final conclusion are inaccurate," the State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said.
The statement comes amidst reports that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had concluded that Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the murder of the dissident journalist.
Khashoggi, who wrote for The Washington Post, was brutally killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2.
Stating that there remain numerous unanswered questions with respect to the journalist's murder, the spokesperson noted that the State Department will continue to seek all relevant facts.
"In the meantime, we will continue to consult Congress and work with other nations to hold accountable those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi," she said.
The US government, Nauert said, has taken decisive measures against the individuals responsible, including visa and sanctions actions.
"We will continue to explore additional measures to hold those accountable who planned, led and were connected to the murder," she said.
"And, we will do that while maintaining the important strategic relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia," she added.