Two explosions detonated near the Four Seasons hotel in downtown Damascus on Tuesday, injuring 18 people including four police officers, according to Syria's interior ministry. French President Emmanuel Macron was staying at the hotel during what officials are calling the first state visit by a Western leader since Ahmed al-Sharaa assumed the Syrian presidency in 2025.
The two improvised explosive devices were discovered and detonated while security personnel were preparing disposal operations, the ministry reported through state media outlet SANA. One device had been placed inside a vehicle; the second was concealed in a garbage receptacle. Both locations sat outside the designated security perimeter for Macron's residence, according to official statements.
Macron was not present in his hotel during the blasts and reportedly did not hear them. He proceeded with his scheduled meetings, including continued talks with President al-Sharaa. Through his official X account, Macron posted: "Nothing can smother the aspiration of Syrian women and men to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, and united Syria. This morning I met Syria in all its diversity. I saw dignity, courage, and determination. My visit continues."
The explosions mark the second and third major bombings in Damascus within a single week. On July 2, a blast at a Damascus cafe killed at least nine people. Neither attack has been publicly attributed to any group or individual by Syrian authorities, and investigations remain ongoing.
Macron's presence in Damascus represents a significant diplomatic turn. Al-Sharaa, who took power following the 2025 ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad, is a former field commander who spent years fighting alongside al Qaeda-affiliated groups during Syria's civil war. Yet within months of assuming power, he has been welcomed into the halls of Western leadership. President Trump hosted al-Sharaa at the White House in November.
