18 Wounded in Twin Damascus Blasts During Macron’s Historic Syria Visit

18 Wounded in Twin Damascus Blasts During Macron's Historic Syria Visit

18 Wounded in Twin Damascus Blasts During Macron’s Historic Syria Visit

DAMASCUS — At least 18 people, including four police officers, were injured on Tuesday when twin explosions rocked central Damascus during French President Emmanuel Macron‘s landmark visit to Syria — the first by a European Union leader since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, marking a significant moment in the country’s fragile transition. The blasts occurred near the Four Seasons Hotel in the heart of the capital, where the French leader had been staying, and the Ministry of Tourism building, close to Victoria Bridge and Umayyad Square, a bustling area that is home to government buildings and commercial establishments, making it a high-profile target for any group seeking to disrupt the visit. A security source confirmed to AFP that one device was planted in a dumpster and another in a vehicle near the hotel, and Syrian state television reported that security forces detected the devices during field operations, but they exploded while specialised units were preparing to defuse them, suggesting that the attackers may have been monitoring the security response or that the devices were booby-trapped to detonate upon tampering.

Social media footage showed a vehicle engulfed in flames, plumes of smoke rising from the scene, and blood stains on the street near the hotel, with panicked civilians running for cover and emergency responders rushing to the scene to assist the wounded. Roads around the site were immediately sealed off, and security forces established a cordon to protect civilians and secure the area, while ambulances transported the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and Syrian authorities have launched an investigation to establish the circumstances and identify those responsible, with security sources indicating that they are examining surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses to piece together the events leading up to the explosions.

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The explosions occurred after Macron had entered the Presidential Palace to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa for talks on bilateral relations, reconstruction, and Syria’s political transition, and at no point was the French president in danger, as the blast site was outside the secure perimeter designated for his movement and accommodation. The Elysee Palace confirmed that Macron did not hear the explosions while travelling to the meeting, and a Reuters journalist with the press group accompanying Macron did not hear the blast or see any commotion during the president’s morning events, underscoring the distance between the explosion site and the location of the French leader’s engagements. French presidency sources stated: “The programme continues,” adding that the explosion site was outside the security perimeter designated for the president’s accommodation, and that Macron’s schedule remained unchanged, with the visit proceeding as planned to demonstrate France’s commitment to engaging with Syria’s new leadership.

Macron arrived in Damascus on Monday evening, becoming the first European Union leader to visit Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule in December 2024, a historic moment that signals a significant shift in international engagement with the country. He was accompanied by a business delegation including the chief executives of TotalEnergies and French container shipping group CMA CGM, with Syria’s reconstruction among the key themes of the visit, reflecting France’s interest in securing economic opportunities in the war-torn nation. In a post on social media, Macron declared: “I have come to express France’s commitment to the Syrian people. For a sovereign Syria, united in its diversity and at peace with its neighbours. Together, let us open a new chapter of stability and peace,” emphasizing France’s support for Syria’s territorial integrity and its vision for a peaceful future. The visit highlights Syria’s geopolitical transformation under al-Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander who has established close ties with Western and Middle Eastern powers that shunned Assad, as he seeks to rebuild a country shattered by 13 years of war and re-establish its place in the international community.

France has signalled support for those who can “contribute to build a new Syria” in line with the aspirations expressed since the 2011 Arab Spring, a reference to the pro-democracy protests that sparked the brutal conflict and eventually led to Assad’s downfall. The incident comes just days after a bomb blast at a crowded cafe near the Palace of Justice in central Damascus killed at least ten people and injured 21 others, and earlier this week, Syrian authorities also foiled an attempt to bomb a passenger bus in a Damascus suburb, indicating that security threats remain a persistent challenge. It underscores the fragile security situation in Syria even as the country’s new leadership seeks to rebuild ties with Western powers and attract investment for reconstruction, as remnants of the previous regime, extremist groups, or other actors may seek to destabilise the transition through acts of violence.

The visit is scheduled to continue as planned, with Macron set to travel next to Ankara, Turkey, for the NATO summit, where al-Sharaa is also expected to attend, providing an opportunity for further high-level discussions on regional security and Syria’s future. The French presidency has emphasised that the visit demonstrates France’s determination to engage with the new Syrian authorities and support the country’s transition, despite the security risks that such engagement entails. As the investigation into Tuesday’s explosions continues, Syrian authorities have vowed to bring those responsible to justice and to maintain security in the capital, while the international community watches closely to see whether the country can navigate its transition without descending into further violence.