Two explosions near the hotel where Macron stayed in Damascus, 18 injured during the French president’s visit to Syria

During French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Syria, two explosions struck Damascus near the Four Seasons hotel, where he had stayed before meeting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

According to the Élysée Palace, Macron was not injured, as he was at the Presidential Palace when the explosions occurred.

The Syrian state news agency SANA reported that the explosions happened as security forces were trying to defuse two explosive devices that had been discovered in the area.

At least 18 people were injured in the incident, including 4 police officers.

One of the devices exploded near the Four Seasons hotel in central Damascus, while the other went off near the Ministry of Tourism. According to the Syrian authorities, they were homemade devices placed in a parked vehicle and in a trash bin.

Syrian Interior Ministry said the site of the explosion was outside the security perimeter designated for Macron’s stay, while investigations to identify the perpetrators have begun.

Macron was in Syria to meet Ahmed al-Sharaa, as part of the first official visit by a Western leader to the country since the سقوط of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024.

These explosions came just days after another attack in Damascus left nine people dead and injured 22 others.