An explosion went off near the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus on Tuesday, where French President Emmanuel Macron had spent the night ahead of a meeting with his Syrian counterpart.
According to French and Syrian media, Macron was unharmed and was already at the Presidential Palace when the explosions occurred. The Élysée Palace confirmed this in a statement.
Explosions and Injuries
Two separate blasts were reported in Damascus, with at least 18 people injured, including four police officers, according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The first explosion occurred next to the Four Seasons hotel, and the second blast went off beside the nearby Ministry of Tourism. Both explosive devices were made in a primitive way, with one placed inside a vehicle and the other inside a garbage container.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the attack and identify those involved.
Macron arrived in Syria on Monday evening local time to meet with President Ahmed al-Sharaa, marking the first official visit by a Western leader to the country since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
