AFP – Syria’s ambassador to Iraq Nawaf Fares has defected from the regime of embattled President Bashar Al-Assad, an Arab diplomat in Baghdad told AFP Wednesday.

“He submitted a letter to the Iraqi MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs),” the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

“They (Iraqi officials) will have a meeting tomorrow (Thursday). They are going to discuss sending him to another country.”