Explosions struck near the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying in Damascus on Tuesday, underscoring the fragile security situation in Syria during his landmark visit to the country.
According to a security source, bombs exploded close to Macron’s hotel, prompting authorities to seal off roads and implement additional security measures. A Reuters witness reported hearing explosions and seeing smoke rising from the area.
Emergency personnel work as smoke and fire rise at the site where explosive devices blew up near a hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was meant to be staying, in Damascus, Syria, in this screengrab obtained from a video, July 7, 2026. REUTERS/Yamam Al Shaar TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Despite the blasts, Macron was not affected. The Elysee said the explosions were not audible from the presidential motorcade, while a Reuters journalist travelling with the French delegation reported hearing no explosions or witnessing any disruption during the president’s morning engagements.
Macron later met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Presidential Palace, with Syrian state television confirming the talks took place as planned.
The visit marks the first by a European Union head of state since rebels led by Sharaa overthrew former President Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron meets Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani as Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa receives Macron at the People’s Palace in Damascus, Syria, July 7, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano
Macron’s trip highlights Syria’s shifting geopolitical landscape under Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander who has sought to strengthen relations with Western and Middle Eastern countries that had previously shunned the Assad government as he works to rebuild the war-ravaged nation.
Syria continues to face significant security challenges following more than a decade of conflict. During the war, militant groups, including Islamic State, established a foothold in parts of the country.
Since taking power, Sharaa has pledged to create an inclusive political order after ending more than five decades of Assad family rule. However, that commitment has been tested by recurring violence involving pro-government forces and members of religious and ethnic minority communities, with hundreds of people killed during clashes last year.
