The French head of state makes his first official visit to Syria on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, since the regime change. In the morning, two explosions occurred near the hotel in Damascus where Emmanuel Macron spent the night. Although he was “unharmed,” 18 people were still injured in what appeared to be a bomb explosion.
The visit has already become historic. Emmanuel Macron will be received by the new President of Syria, former jihadist Ahmed Al-Charaa, from Monday, July 6; making the French president the first Western leader to visit Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad. On the menu for this symbolic meeting: bilateral exchanges and expanded talks between French and Syrian leaders, where economic, industrial or energy contracts are at stake… And the promise of new diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Enhanced security after explosions
But two explosions occurred on the morning of Tuesday, July 7, near the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus, where the French head of state spent the night, Le Monde reports. Having already gone for an interview to the presidential palace, Emmanuel Macron is “alive and unharmed,” they say at the Elysee Palace, and continues his visits to Syria.
According to BFMTV, Syrian authorities found a bomb in a trash bin near the main road, then a second one in a car parked on the street. Although they are far away, the two bombs appear to have exploded simultaneously.
As a result of the explosions, 18 people were injured, including four police officers, and emergency services and law enforcement agencies quickly arrived on the scene. The investigation will have to determine the cause of this coordinated attack in the Syrian capital.
posted July 7 at 11:42 am by Mina Peltier, 6Medias with L’Express