Explosions rock Damascus near Macron's hotel as he meets Syria's Ahmad al-Sharaa; 4 injured
Security personnel stand guard near the Four Seasons Hotel following two blasts nearby in Damascus on 7 July 2026. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)(AFP)Two explosions rocked the Syrian capital Damascus on Tuesday, even as French President Emmanuel Macron was meeting his Syrian counterpart, Ahmad al-Sharaa, in a landmark visit, wounding at least four people, PTI reported, citing Syrian state media.According to the report, Macron had entered the presidential palace to meet al-Sharaa when the explosions occurred near the Four Seasons Hotel, where the French president was reportedly staying. Syrian authorities did not immediately comment on the incident. The French president's office, as cited by PTI, said Macron was safe and that his meeting with al-Sharaa was continuing uninterrupted.Macron is the first major Western leader to visit Syria since al-Sharaa came to power, and the visit comes ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, that he is scheduled to attend next. He arrived in Syria on Monday night along with an economic delegation and was expected to sign memorandums of understanding with al-Sharaa as the war-battered country seeks to attract foreign investment. He had also played a significant role in pushing Europe and the United States to lift most sanctions on Syria, the report noted.Blasts Caused by Explosive Devices, Says Security OfficialCiting an unnamed security official, state television reported that the two blasts in the heart of the capital were caused by explosive devices, one placed in a garbage bin and the other in a parked car. Four people were wounded, including several police personnel, and no deaths were reported immediately, according to the report. An investigation was underway at the site.A large plume of smoke was seen rising from the location, which lies on a busy street near the Tourism Ministry headquarters and the Damascus National Museum. Visuals circulated widely on social media showed a van and a motorcycle on fire, along with blood stains on the street, PTI reported. No group has claimed responsibility so far.The incident comes days after an explosive device went off at a cafe near the Justice Palace in Damascus, killing at least 10 people and injuring more than 20.The fresh explosions mark a setback for al-Sharaa, who assumed power after leading an insurgency that ousted Bashar Assad in 2024. Since then, he has sought to consolidate control and stabilise the war-torn country, reassure minority communities wary of his Islamist-led rule, and win over Western governments once sceptical of his past leadership of the former al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group. His administration has promised sweeping political and economic reform following decades of autocratic rule, PTI noted.While Syria's new leadership has grappled with sporadic violence involving various armed groups as it works to assert authority nationwide, the capital has largely remained peaceful through the transition period.The report further stated that Syria's nearly decade-and-a-half-long conflict killed close to half a million people and displaced millions more. Despite pledges of large-scale investment from other nations and businesses, the country still requires hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild its infrastructure and lift millions out of poverty. Before arriving at the presidential palace, Macron had met members of Syrian civil society, though further details were not disclosed, PTI reported.Stay updated with the latest Trending,
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