Damascus blasts hit during Macron meeting with Syria's president

Damascus,UPDATED: Jul 7, 2026 14:24 IST

Explosions rocked Damascus on Tuesday while French President Emmanuel Macron was meeting Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in a landmark visit to the country. Syrian state media said at least four people were wounded in the blasts, which took place near the Four Seasons Hotel.

Macron had entered the presidential palace when the explosions happened. Syrian media reported that he was staying at the Four Seasons, while the French president's office said he was safe and that his meeting with al-Sharaa was continuing. Macron is the first major Western leader to visit Syria since al-Sharaa came to power, and the trip comes before he heads to a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

Macron has played a major role in pushing Europe and the United States to lift most sanctions on Syria. He arrived in the country on Monday night with an economic delegation and is scheduled to sign memorandums of understanding with al-Sharaa as Syria seeks to attract investors for rebuilding after 14 years of war.

Syrian state television, citing an unnamed security official, said the two blasts in the centre of the capital were caused by explosive devices, one placed in a dustbin and the other in a parked car. The report said four people were wounded, including several police officers, and no deaths were immediately reported. An investigation is under way at the scene. A large plume of smoke was seen rising from the area, which is on a busy street near the Tourism Ministry headquarters and the Damascus Museum. Footage widely shared on social media showed a van and a motorcycle on fire and blood stains on the road. No group immediately claimed responsibility.

The explosions came days after an explosive device went off in a cafe near the Justice Palace in Damascus, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 20. The latest incident is a setback for al-Sharaa, who came to power after leading an insurgency that ousted Bashar Assad in 2024. Since then, he has sought to tighten control and bring stability to Syria, reassure minorities wary of his Islamist-led rule, and win support from Western governments that had been sceptical of his past leadership of the former al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group. His government has promised political and economic reform after decades of autocratic rule.

Although Syria's new rulers have faced violence involving different groups as they work to strengthen control, Damascus has remained largely calm during this period. The conflict in Syria killed nearly half a million people and displaced millions, leaving infrastructure in ruins and the country in need of hundreds of billions of dollars for reconstruction and poverty relief. Before arriving at the presidential palace, Macron also met members of Syrian civil society, though his office did not provide details.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends