Syria: 18 injured in Damascus blasts during Macron visit

Syria: 18 injured in Damascus blasts during Macron visit July 7, 2026Syria's Interior Ministry confirmed that a series of explosions rocked the capital, Damascus, on Tuesday amid a visit from French President Emmanuel Macron. Local reports indicated that the blasts, which wounded at least 18 people, happened near the Four Seasons hotel where Macron is staying. However, they occurred while the French president was meeting with his Syrian counterpart, Ahmad al-Sharaa, in the presidential palace. Macron is the first western leader to visit Syria since al-Sharaa came to power following the ouster of strongman Bashar Assad in December 2024. Authorities told reporters that Macron and al-Sharaa were unharmed. The bombs were placed in a parked car and a garbage bin near the hotel, police said, which is on a busy street in the heart of the city near the National Museum. The incident comes just days after 10 people were killed when a bomb went off in a Damascus cafe located near the Justice Ministry. Syria is trying to strengthen international ties and boost investment after more than a decade of devastating civil war that killed nearly half a million people and displaced thousands. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for any of the recent violence in the capital. Edited by: Natalie Muller