The volatile security landscape in Syria was laid bare Tuesday as two bomb explosions rocked central Damascus during a high-profile visit by French President Emmanuel Macron. The blasts, which occurred near the Four Seasons hotel where Macron was staying, injured 18 people, including four police officers.
According to the Syrian interior ministry, security forces discovered a parked car and a bin rigged with explosives; the devices detonated as specialists attempted to defuse them.
While no group has claimed responsibility, the attack serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing instability facing the government of Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former al-Qaeda commander who rose to power following the 2024 collapse of the Assad regime.
Despite the violence, Macron continued his diplomatic mission, meeting with Sharaa at the presidential palace to discuss reconstruction and economic cooperation, including the signing of 15 bilateral agreements. Macron dismissed the attack as an attempt to destabilize the region, vowing that the incident would not deter his commitment to a sovereign Syria.
The bombing follows a deadly attack last week at a Damascus cafe that claimed nine lives, highlighting the persistent threat posed by jihadist elements like the Islamic State in a nation still struggling to find its footing after years of civil war and decades of totalitarian rule.
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