Damascus Hit With Explosions As Macron Arrives For Landmark Syria Meeting With President al-Sharaa

Twin improvised explosive device (IED) blasts injured at least 18 people in central Damascus on Tuesday, occurring just as Emmanuel Macron arrived at the presidential palace for a landmark meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa (a.k.a. al-Jolani).

The explosions, caused by devices hidden in a parked car and a garbage bin near the Four Seasons Hotel where Macron had stayed, detonated while security forces were attempting to dismantle them; Macron was unharmed and his visit proceeded as planned.

Syria's Interior Ministry confirmed that the blasts occurred outside the designated security perimeter for the French president, who was already inside the palace and did not hear the explosions.

The attack wounded four police officers among the 18 injured, with no immediate fatalities reported, though footage showed burning vehicles and smoke rising near the Tourism Ministry and Damascus National Museum.

While no group has claimed responsibility, analysts suggest the timing indicates an attempt to target the French delegation or undermine the new government's image of stability ahead of al-Sharaa's scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara.

Despite the violence, al-Sharaa and Macron emphasized their commitment to cooperation, with the French president stating that "nothing can smother the aspiration of Syrian women and men to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, and united Syria."

This historic visit marks the first by a Western head of state since al-Sharaa's forces ousted Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, signaling a shift in international relations despite al-Sharaa's past leadership of the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group.

Macron, who advocated for lifting sanctions to aid reconstruction, oversaw the signing of several economic agreements, including a partnership with French shipping giant CMA CGM to manage air freight at Damascus International Airport; discussions with TotalEnergies regarding new energy exploration contracts; and a process to return $58.3 million (€51 million) in assets confiscated from the late Rifaat al-Assad.