ولي العهد السعودي الأمير محمد بن سلمان . صورة: القصر الملكي السعودي via AFP/Bandar al-Jaloud

The German government has halted arms sales to Saudi Arabia and slapped a travel ban on a group of Saudi nationals in response to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, according to news reports on Monday.

German daily Die Welt reported that all exports of arms would be stopped, including deals that have already been finalized. This would include the sale of 20 patrol boats. Two of the vessels had already been approved for delivery.

The duration of the ban is not yet clear, but the government announced that it would urge other European Union governments to follow suit.

Additionally, Germany has issued travel bans for 18 Saudi citizens, following a similar measure undertaken by France.

The moves come as the administration of US President Donald Trump grapples with how to deal with the fallout from the murder of Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist who had a legal resident status in the US and worked for The Washington Post.

On Friday, sources leaked the US Central Intelligence Agency’s assessment with “high confidence” that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman directed the killing of Khashoggi. The assessment is believed to have been revealed in a briefing to US lawmakers.

US Senator Lindsay Graham said on Sunday that Congress was considering ways to respond to the killing, adding that it was “impossible to believe” that Mohammad was not aware of the plan to kill Khashoggi.

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