Two explosions near the Four Seasons hotel in central Damascus wounded 18 people, including four police officers, during French President Emmanuel Macron's landmark visit to Syria on Monday.
The blasts occurred outside the security perimeter of Macron's residence while he was already at the presidential palace for talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. One improvised device was hidden in a parked vehicle and another in a waste container. Syrian state media SANA reported the devices detonated as specialized units attempted to defuse them. The blasts also shattered windows at the nearby tourism ministry.
Macron is the first Western European leader to visit Syria since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.