Syrian authorities have arrested the cell responsible for twin bombings in Damascus that killed one person and wounded dozens earlier this week, Interior Minister Anas Khattab announced Wednesday.
The arrests were carried out during a series of raids targeting suspects across the capital and surrounding countryside. The two improvised explosive devices detonated nearly simultaneously on July 7 near the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron had been staying, though he was not present at the time of the blasts.
Macron was in Damascus to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, becoming the first Western leader to visit Syria since an Islamist coalition took power following the civil war. He was en route to the meeting when the explosions occurred. The visit marked a significant diplomatic moment, signaling engagement with Damascus's new leadership after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in 2024.