Turkish officials began a long heralded search of Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul today where dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was allegedly murdered, according to anonymous Turkish officials commenting on his Oct. 2 disappearance.

Since last week, Turkish officials have been insisting that a full forensic sweep of the building would be conducted. The Turkish officials seen entering the building were not wearing any protective gear, however, casting doubt over the exact nature of the visit. The pro-government Daily Sabah reported, “About a dozen Saudi members of the Turkish-Saudi team investigating the disappearance Washington Post journalist Jamal Khasoggi were seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Monday afternoon.”

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman ordered a formal internal investigation into the case today amid mounting diplomatic pressure for a credible explanation as to why Khashoggi never re-emerged from the consulate, where he was arranging paperwork enabling him to marry his Turkish fiancée. France, Germany and the United Kingdom have called on Saudi Arabia to produce information about the incident, which has prompted global corporations and media outlets to pull out of a Saudi “Future Investment Initiative Conference” due to be held in Riyadh Oct. 23-25. The event is meant to showcase Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman Al Saud’s proposed reforms for the kingdom. The powerful prince was the target of Khashoggi’s escalating critiques of his homeland.

US Secretary of State of Mike Pompeo is flying to the kingdom, where he will meet Salman to discuss the case on the president's behalf and may continue on to Turkey if warranted. Donald Trump has seesawed between threats of “severe punishment” and reluctance to forsake billions of dollars in arms sales to the kingdom over Khashoggi, whom the president noted was not a US citizen. Briefing White House reporters on his telephone conversation with the Saudi monarch, Trump said Salman had issued a "flat denial" of the assassination claims and suggested the perpetrators may have been extrajudicial forces. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has refrained from pointing fingers at the Saudi leadership so far, while vowing to pursue the affair. On Sunday he spoke with the Saudi monarch over the telephone, prompting speculation that Turkey might be looking for a face-saving path out of the morass. According to Turkey’s pro-government A Haber news channel, the two leaders lauded their decision to conduct a joint investigation but no further details emerged.