Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Damascus - Agencies: Arabs and Middle Eastern Peoples

A series of explosions from improvised explosive devices targeted the area around the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron is staying in Damascus, according to a security source. The Interior Ministry announced 18 people were injured, including 4 police officers.

Syrian sources and eyewitnesses reported that two consecutive explosions occurred near the hotel where the French president is staying in the Syrian capital, and indicated that Macron's convoy had left his residence shortly before the blasts on its way to the presidential palace for talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The French presidency confirmed Macron's safety.

A security source revealed that the two explosions were caused by two relatively small, rudimentary devices. The first exploded near the Ministry of Tourism (opposite Macron's hotel), while the second exploded in the Governorate Square in a side street.

Witnesses reported hearing two explosions in Damascus, with smoke rising around the Baramkeh area. Footage from a circulated video showed a burnt car near Freedom Bridge, close to the Four Seasons Hotel in central Damascus. The area witnessed a security alert and road closures.