Damascus, July 7 (UNI) At least 18 people were injured after two explosions occurred near the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus on Tuesday, where French President Emmanuel Macron had stayed ahead of his meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

A security source said the blasts were caused by two devices. Syrian state media reported that 18 people, including four police officers, were wounded.

Macron was unharmed and was already at the Presidential Palace when the blasts occurred, the Élysée Palace said in a statement. French broadcaster BFMTV reported that the president had been staying at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Explosions occurred near the Ministry of Tourism and the hotel where Macron was expected to stay during his visit to the Syrian capital for talks with President Ahmed al-Sharaa.The hotel is frequently used by foreign visitors, including diplomats, journalists, and aid workers.

AlJazeera reported that the blasts occurred “outside the security zone designated for the French President’s residence” and did not pose any direct threat to the residence or the official visit programme.

Macron’s office said the French president, who was on his way to meet al-Sharaa, did not hear the explosions and that his visit continued as planned.

According to SANA news agency , both explosive devices were made using “primitive” methods. The first device was placed inside a vehicle parked on the roadside, while the second was hidden in a garbage container.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the attack and identify those responsible, SANA reported.
Macron arrived in Syria on Monday evening for talks with al-Sharaa, marking the first official visit by a Western leader to the country since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024.
The twin explosions occurred less than a week after a separate attack in Damascus that killed nine people and injured 22 others, according to Syria’s Ministry of Health.
After his Syria visit, Macron is scheduled to travel to Turkey for the NATO summit.
UNI AAB