Explosions in Damascus near Macron's hotel leave injured; VIDEO

Explosions near Macron's hotel in Damascus leave people injured
Two explosions occurred this Tuesday (7) in Damascus, the capital of Syria, near the hotel where the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, is staying. The incident left 18 people injured, according to the Syrian government.
The French president's office said he was safe and did not hear the explosions. Macron, who is on a state visit, met with the President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, shortly after the incident.
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It was not yet known, until the last update of this report, whether the explosions and Macron's visit were related.
According to the Syrian state agency, two explosive devices were detonated on a street in a busy area of Damascus, between the Syrian Ministry of Tourism and the national museum and close to the Four Seasons hotel, where Macron was. A total of 18 people were injured in the explosions, including four police officers.
The explosions highlighted the security challenges in Syria at the beginning of the post-Bashar Al-Assad era. Macron is the first head of state from a major European Union country to visit the country since rebels led by Sharaa overthrew the Syrian dictator in 2024.
The first explosion occurred shortly after Macron's convoy left the area towards the presidential palace.
Explosion occurs on a street in Damascus, Syria, near the hotel where the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, is staying during a state visit on July 7, 2026.
REUTERS/Yamam Al Shaar
Images from Reuters news agency showed flames and smoke rising from a dumpster as a second explosion was recorded by cameras just meters away. The second detonation occurred next to an ambulance parked at the scene, where around two dozen people had gathered. (See video above)
Flames and thick black smoke were seen coming from an area near shops in the background, as emergency crews worked to contain the fire.
A Reuters video showed Macron's convoy heading along a highway towards the presidential palace before the explosions - the stretch from his hotel to the palace is about 7km. Photographs later showed the French president standing next to Sharaa and meeting with other Syrian officials and military officers.
French President Emmanuel Macron (left) greets Syrian President Ahmed Al-Shaara during a state visit in Damascus, Syria, July 7, 2026.
REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano
Syrian police forces have begun search operations to identify those responsible, the state broadcaster reported Al-Ekhbariya, citing a security source. Roads were blocked and security measures were implemented after the explosions, a local official told Reuters.
The French presidency said the explosions were not audible in the presidential convoy, and a Reuters journalist accompanying Macron did not hear the detonations or notice any unusual movement during morning appointments.
Macron's office said the French president intended to maintain the day's agenda despite the explosions.
Syrian political transformation
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Macron's visit was aimed at highlighting Syria's political transformation under Al-Sharaa, which has established close ties with Western and Middle Eastern powers that had previously isolated Assad.
The new Syrian government also seeks to rebuild a country devastated by 13 years of war. During the Syrian conflict, several militant groups, including the Islamic State, have gained a presence in the country.
Last week, a bomb explosion in a cafe in Damascus killed nine people and injured 20 others. There was no claim of responsibility.
Islamic State has claimed a series of attacks against government forces in Syria since February, when the jihadist group announced what it described as a new phase of operations against Sharaa's government.
Sharaa, a member of Syria's Sunni Muslim majority, has vowed to build a new inclusive order in the country after ending more than five decades of authoritarian rule by the Assad family. However, this promise has been tested by episodes of violence that pit pro-government forces against members of religious and ethnic minorities, with many hundreds killed last year.
Explosion on a street in Damascus, Syria, near French President Emmanuel Macron's hotel, leaves injured on July 7, 2026.
Reuters

Source: G1