Explosions rocked Syria’s capital on Tuesday, injuring at least 18 people, as France’s President Emmanuel Macron met with his counterpart Ahmad al-Sharaa in a landmark visit to the country. The blasts occurred near the Four Seasons Hotel, where Macron was reportedly staying.
The incident was the second attack in Damascus in a week and presented a setback for President al-Sharaa, who was hosting the first major Western leader to visit since the ouster of longtime dictator Bashar Assad in late 2024. While Syria’s new rulers have faced outbreaks of violence as they consolidate control, the capital had largely remained peaceful. Syrian security personnel inspect a burned vehicles near the Four Seasons Hotel after two explosions rocked the area earlier while Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was meeting French President Emmanuel Macron at the presidential palace, in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
French President Macron was inside the presidential palace when the explosions happened. An official from the Elysee Palace confirmed he was safe and that the meeting with al-Sharaa continued. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Syrian state media reported that one bomb was placed in a garbage bin and another in a parked car. The Interior Ministry stated that four of the wounded were police officers, and no deaths were immediately reported. Footage from the scene showed a van and a motorcycle on fire, with bloodstains visible on a busy street near the headquarters of the Tourism Ministry and the Damascus National Museum.
Macron later stated on X, “Nothing can smother the aspiration of Syrian women and men to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, and united Syria. This morning I met Syria in all its diversity. I saw dignity, courage and determination.”
The visit also saw a significant diplomatic development, as al-Sharaa and Macron announced an agreement to reappoint ambassadors after more than a decade, marking a major restoration of ties. France had closed its embassy in 2012 but symbolically reopened it in early 2025.
Macron, who had played a role in advocating for the lifting of sanctions against Syria under Assad, was in Damascus before heading to Ankara, Turkey, for a NATO summit also to be attended by al-Sharaa. The Syrian government views Macron’s visit and the signing of over a dozen agreements with Paris and French companies as a substantial boost for its rebuilding efforts.
These agreements include the process of returning approximately 51 million euros ($58.3 million) in illicit assets belonging to Rifaat Assad, the late uncle of Bashar Assad. Other deals focus on rebuilding water and electricity infrastructure in Homs, providing technical assistance to Syria’s Central Bank for financial reforms, and enhancing cargo infrastructure at Damascus airport.
A Syrian foreign ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated, “The outcome of this visit confirms that Syria is steadily moving toward a new phase of international partnerships based on shared interests and mutual respect. Attempts to destabilize the country will not alter this trajectory.” The official also assured that perpetrators would be brought to justice.
The explosions pose a challenge for al-Sharaa, who is working to assert control, gain the trust of minorities, and secure support from Western governments, many of whom were concerned about his past leadership of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group. His government has pledged political and economic reforms following decades of autocratic rule. The conflict in Syria resulted in nearly half a million deaths and displaced millions, leaving infrastructure in ruins and requiring hundreds of billions of dollars for reconstruction.
Prior to his meeting at the presidential palace, Macron met with members of Syrian civil society, though details were not provided by his office.
On Thursday, an explosive device detonated in a cafe near the Justice Palace, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 20.
Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers John Leicester and Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed.
