Two explosions rocked Damascus on Tuesday near a luxury hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron spent the night after arriving in the city, a Syrian security source said.
Witnesses reported a heavy security presence in the area as ambulances rushed to the scene followed by smoke rising near the high-end hotel where the leader spent the night.
The security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that “two explosions occurred in central Damascus near the Four Seasons Hotel; one inside a garbage container and the other in a car,” likely caused by explosive devices.
The explosions occurred shortly before Syrian state television announced Macron’s arrival at the presidential palace for official talks with his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Meanwhile, France has said that President Macron is safe and will be continuing the visit following the blasts.
Macron is the first Western head of state to visit Damascus since the 2024 fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. He is accompanied by a delegation, of investors and representatives of French companies as part of efforts to strengthen economic cooperation.
Macron’s visit comes amid mutual efforts to rebuild relations between Syria and Western countries following the political changes that swept the country after the ouster of Assad. This is the third visit by a foreign leader to Syria, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. (AFP)
