Explosions near Macron's hotel in Damascus kill one, injure dozens during visit

President Emmanuel Macron's historic visit to Syria was marked by two explosions near his hotel in Damascus, killing one person and injuring at least 18 (later reported as 36 injured), though Macron was unharmed and continued his schedule. Source: Infobae; Source: ABC.es The blasts occurred shortly after Macron had left the Four Seasons hotel for meetings at the presidential palace. Source: Lavanguardia

The attacks

Two improvised explosive devices detonated near the Ministry of Tourism and the Four Seasons hotel—one in a trash can, another in a parked vehicle. Source: El Caribe The Syrian Interior Ministry said the bombs went off while security forces were attempting to disarm them, and no group has claimed responsibility. Source: Excelsior Early reports cited 18 wounded, including four police officers; later, the Health Ministry confirmed one death and 36 injuries. Source: Infobae

The response

Macron, who was at the presidential palace with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, stated, "Nothing can stifle the aspiration of Syrian men and women to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, united Syria." Source: Milenio The Élysée emphasized that the president's agenda—including an economic forum and the return of 23 archaeological artifacts—remained unchanged. Source: ABC.es; Source: El Español

The context

This was the first visit by an EU leader since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Macron's delegation included CEOs of major French firms, discussing reconstruction and energy corridors. Source: Euronews The attack came amid a fragile security environment; just six days earlier, a bombing at a café killed 10 people. Source: El Confidencial