Saudi crown prince lands in Tunisia amid protests against visit

Saudi crown prince lands in Tunisia amid protests against visit
Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince has arrived in Tunisia, where protesters have marched in opposition to the visit, urging justice over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

2 min read
27 November, 2018
The crown prince arrived after demonstrators marched through the capital shouting "Go away assassin!" [Getty]

Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince has arrived in Tunisia, where protesters have marched in opposition to the visit, urging justice over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman landed in the Tunisian capital on Tuesday for the fourth leg of his first foreign tour since the brutal murder of the Saudi journalist.

Saudi-funded Al-Arabiya reported that Prince Mohammed's official visit will only last a few hours and that he will meet Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi.

The crown prince arrived after demonstrators marched through the capital shouting: "Go away assassin!" and held placards with slogans including "The people want Bin Salman to be judged", "No to the killer of Yemeni children" and "You're not welcome".

It was the second protest in as many days against the de facto Saudi ruler.

Saudi Arabia has faced intense global criticism over the killing of insider-turned-critic Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate on 2 October.

He was reportedly dismembered in what Saudi Arabia said was a "rogue" operation, but CIA analysis leaked to the US media pointed the finger at Prince Mohammed.

His visit will be the first by a Saudi royal to Tunisia since the 2011 revolution deposed longtime dictator Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, who fled to Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi crown prince has also held talks in the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on the tour and unconfirmed media reports suggest he will next travel to Algeria and Mauritania.

He will then fly to Argentina to attend the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires.

Human Rights Watch said on Monday it has asked Argentina's government to investigate Mohammed bin Salman for his role in the brutal war in Yemen, and his alleged complicity in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.