Two bombs exploded near a hotel in Damascus where French President Emmanuel Macron was meeting on Tuesday. Syrian state media reported the blasts, but Macron’s office said he did not hear the explosions and proceeded to meet Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa.
The incidents highlight significant security challenges in Syria, where Macron is the first head of state from a major European Union country to visit since rebels led by Sharaa overthrew Assad in 2024. The blasts occurred in a busy area between the Syrian tourism ministry and the national museum near the Four Seasons hotel, where Macron was meeting civil society groups.
Syria’s state news agency reported that 18 people were injured, including four police officers. The first explosion happened as Macron’s motorcade left for the presidential palace. A second blast occurred nearby an ambulance parked at the scene, with flames and thick black smoke visible from shops behind.
Internal security forces have launched search operations to identify those responsible. Roads were sealed off, and security measures implemented after the blasts. Reuters video showed Macron heading towards the presidential palace before the explosions. The French Presidency said the blasts were not audible from the motorcade, and a journalist accompanying Macron did not hear or see any commotion during his morning events.
Macron’s visit aimed to highlight Syria’s political transformation under Sharaa, who has established close ties with Western and Middle Eastern powers that shunned Assad. Since February, Daesh has claimed several attacks on government forces in Syria as it seeks to rebuild a country shattered by 13 years of war.