By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters

Published On 9 Jul 20269 Jul 2026

Syrian authorities say they have arrested the cell responsible for recent bombings in Damascus and the suspects are affiliated with ISIL (ISIS).

“Preliminary investigations into the members of the cell involved in the July 7 Damascus bombings have shown that the cell was affiliated with the IS group,” Ahmad Dalati, head of interior security for the Damascus region, said on Syrian state television on Thursday.

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Two explosions rocked Damascus on Tuesday as French President Emmanuel Macron visited the city, killing one person and wounding 36. The previous week a bomb at a cafe popular with lawyers killed 10 people, with 21 injured.

Minister ⁠of Interior Anas Khattab announced earlier on Thursday that those behind the bombings had been captured. “The cell responsible for the terrorist bombings that targeted Damascus two days ago is now in our custody,” ⁠he said in a statement carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency.

He said authorities would ‌reveal the identities of the cell’s members, their roles and all their links after investigations were completed.

The suspects were arrested during simultaneous raids across four neighbourhoods in Damascus and its surrounding countryside.

Speaking alongside Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa following the blasts on Tuesday, Macron said: “We must at once stand alongside those who have been injured, continue to be uncompromising on security… but not let ourselves be destabilised.”

The bombings are the latest in a series of security breaches, and highlight the precarious situation in Syria, which remains politically volatile following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.