Saudi Arabia has described the killing of journalist, Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul consulate as a huge and grave mistake.

According to a statement by the country’s Foreign Minister, Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi government also sought to shield its powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman who has reportedly called Khashoggi’s son to express condolence about his death, from the widening crisis.

Adel al-Jubeir ‘s comments have been described by many as one of the most direct yet from Riyadh, which has given multiple and conflicting accounts about Khashoggi’s killing on October 2, first denying his death and later admitting it amid an international outcry.

The weeks of denial and lack of credible evidence in the face of allegations from Turkish officials that Khashoggi had been killed have shaken global confidence in ties with the world’s top oil exporter.

“This is a terrible mistake. This is a terrible tragedy. Our condolences go out to them. We feel their pain. Unfortunately, a huge and grave mistake was made and I assure them that those responsible will be held accountable for this,” Jubeir said.

He said the Saudis did not know how the 59-year-old Khashoggi, a Saudi national and US resident, had been killed or where his body was. He also said Prince Mohammed was not aware of the incident.

“This was an operation where individuals ended up exceeding the authorities and responsibilities they had. They made the mistake when they killed Jamal Khashoggi in the consulate and they tried to cover up for it,” he added.

After two weeks of denying any involvement in Khashoggi’s disappearance, the Saudi government finally owned up, claiming that the journalist, a critic of the crown prince, died from a chokehold during a fight in the consulate.