Explosions injure 18 in central Damascus during Macron's Syria visit

What happened

Syrian state media reports that two explosive devices detonated in central Damascus, injuring 18 people, including four police officers, near a hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying. The blasts occurred as Macron was visiting Syria for talks with President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. According to Syrian state news agency Sana, security forces detected the explosives while attempting to defuse them. One device was hidden inside a parked vehicle and another in a rubbish bin. An eyewitness described two explosions about 20 metres apart in front of the ministry of tourism headquarters, noting the first caused material damage without casualties, while the second resulted in injuries to public security and traffic police personnel.

BBC Verify located the explosions approximately 125 metres from the Four Seasons Hotel, a major location in the capital. Macron's officials stated that the French president did not hear the explosions during his journey to meet al-Sharaa. State television confirmed that the Syrian president received Macron at the presidential palace amid the events.

Known from the source

• Two explosive devices detonated in central Damascus during Macron's visit.
• 18 people were injured, including four police officers.
• One bomb was inside a parked vehicle, the other in a rubbish bin.
• Macron was staying near the blast site and was unharmed and did not hear the explosions.
• Macron met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace during the visit.

What remains unclear

Macron's visit marks the first by an EU leader to Syria since Ahmed al-Sharaa assumed power following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. The trip underscores Syria's gradual return to international engagement after years of isolation but also reveals persistent risks from armed groups, including Islamic State attacks and ongoing violence by pro-government forces against minority groups.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Exact number and identities of all injured persons. Verification of the Syrian interior ministry's investigation progress and any findings. Any claims of responsibility or attribution by armed groups.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: BBC Middle East Syria. Open the source.