(CNN) -- A Syrian diplomat who defected and joined the opposition has been "relieved of his duties," authorities said Thursday, a day after he left his post and denounced the regime for killing civilians.

Nawaf al-Fares, the Syrian ambassador to Iraq, is the second high-profile official to break with the regime in a week. A brigadier general, who was also the son of a former defense minister, defected last week to protest the killings.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Al-Fares went to the Gulf Arab state of Qatar, Iraqi state-TV reported. The Qatari government has been sharply critical of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Al-Fares "made statements contrary to his job duty to defend the positions of the country and its issues, which requires legal accountability and discipline, " the Syrian foreign ministry said in a statement.