Damascus Explosions Injure 18 as Macron Visits Syria

Eighteen people were injured when two explosive devices detonated in central Damascus near the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying.

Sana, the state news agency, confirmed that security forces detected and detonated the bombs while specialist units were clearing the area.

One device was found in a parked vehicle and the other hidden in a bin, according to government sources.

Macron was on the ground for talks with Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa at the presidential palace; his officials confirmed he was safe and did not hear the blasts.

After visiting Syria, the French president will head to Turkey for the NATO summit.

Four police officers were among the injured; the interior ministry has launched an investigation to identify those responsible.

Social media posts showed smoke and flames erupting from a vehicle near a hotel in the capital, and eyewitness accounts described two successive explosions.

Bbc Verify located the blasts approximately 125 metres from the Four Seasons hotel on a major thoroughfare. The first detonation caused structural damage but no casualties; the second injured security forces and traffic police.

The explosions underscore security challenges posed by militants, including ISIS, and violence against minority groups that has killed hundreds.

Macron’s visit highlights Syria’s return to the global stage after years of isolation and its difficult economic situation amid reconstruction needs.

Macron said: "Nothing can smother the aspiration of Syrian women and men to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, and united Syria."