Bombs explode near Macron hotel during Syria visit

Two bomb blasts occurred across the street from the Four Seasons hotel in Damascus on Tuesday, injuring at least 18 people. French President Emmanuel Macron had spent the night there and met civil society groups earlier that morning before his motorcade departed.

Macron and Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa addressed the explosions in a joint press conference. Macron said violence would not deter Syria's "reintegration into the community of nations" and stated that the risks were known and under control.

Security and diplomatic context Syria has faced years of political and economic isolation tied to concerns about its former leadership. The country began a gradual return to international engagement after former president Bashar Assad was removed from power in 2024.

Macron is the first European Union head of state to visit Damascus since the new leadership took office. The French presidential palace said Macron remained safe and would continue his scheduled program. "Nothing can smother the aspiration of Syrian women and men to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, and united Syria," Macron wrote on X after the blasts.

" The two leaders also discussed security cooperation. Macron said both sides had prepared for the risks and would remain focused on the path forward.