In brief
French President Emmanuel Macron remained unharmed after two improvised explosive devices detonated in central Damascus as he met Syrian President’s chief diplomat. The blasts, which wounded several people, occurred about 125 m from the Four Seasons hotel on a major thoroughfare. Dutch‑issued statements from the Élysée confirmed the president’s safety and that the meeting proceeded as planned. The incident follows a previous bomb blast at a Damascus café earlier in July and highlights the fragile security environment that accompanies Macron’s regional tour, which now heads to Turkey for the NATO summit.
French President Emmanuel Macron is safe amid explosions in central Damascus
The Palais de l’Élysée released a statement confirming that Macron was unharmed after two improvised explosive devices detonated in the heart of the city while he was in Damascus to meet Syria’s head of state, President Ahmed al‑Sharaa. A security source told the BBC that the blasts were caused by two devices near a vehicle close to a hotel and that several people were wounded.
Macron arrived in Syria on Monday evening and became the first European Union leader to visit the country since the end of Bashar al‑Assad’s 24‑year rule. He has since met the Syrian leadership and is slated to travel to Turkey for a NATO summit the following day, a move the French office says “continues as planned”.
Videos appearing on social media show flames and smoke rising from a petrol-laden vehicle on Shoukry al‑Quowatly street, within roughly 125 m of the Four Seasons hotel. BBC Verify has examined the footage and corroborated the timing and location of the explosions.
Syria’s state television welcomed the president to the palace, emphasizing diplomatic protocol despite the security incident. The images from emergency services on the scene highlight the challenges of maintaining public safety in a city that has endured more attacks since the outbreak of the civil war in 2011.
Earlier in July, a bomb blast at a crowded café in central Damascus killed at least nine people and injured 22, an incident that further underscores the precarious security atmosphere surrounding the president’s visit.
Officials for Macron say that he did not hear any explosions when traveling to the meeting, implying the blasts occurred after the visit had begun. The incident raises questions about the logistics of diplomatic travel in contested regions.
The event highlights the ongoing tension between diplomatic engagement and the persistent volatility in the Middle East, as well as the broader implications for international cooperation in the region.
