A series of explosions rocked the central parts of the Syrian capital Damascus, casting a shadow over the historic official visit of French President Emmanuel Macron.
The situation in the city remains under heightened surveillance after cameras from international media captured the detonation of a secondary explosion in the Al-Halabuni area, located in close proximity to the destinations on the official route.
Timeline of attack and secondary explosion
According to the Syrian Ministry of Interior, the attack was carried out with two improvised explosive devices.
- The first explosion exploded in a car parked by the roadside shortly after the French president's motorcade left the hotel grounds Four Seasons where the head of state spent the night.
- The second explosion, hidden in a nearby garbage container, exploded minutes later. This happened just as emergency services and security forces had already arrived at the scene, and international news agency cameras were broadcasting live.
The secondary explosion occurred as sappers were preparing to defuse the devices. The Élysée Palace confirmed that Emmanuel Macron is completely safe and did not hear the explosions, as at that time he had already traveled to the Presidential Palace for a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Injury and Property Damage
Official authorities in Damascus reported at least 18 wounded civilians, including four police officers. The second explosion occurred in close proximity to a parked ambulance, which increased the risk for rescue teams. The area around the Victoria Bridge and the Ministry of Tourism has been cordoned off, and security forces are analyzing camera footage in an attempt to identify the perpetrators. Currently no group has officially claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Political Context: Ahmed al-Sharaa's Syria
This is the first visit by a European Union leader to Syria since the Islamist coalition led by former commander Ahmed al-Sharaa toppled long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad. The visit has huge symbolic significance for the new government in Damascus, which is trying to emerge from international isolation and attract investment to rebuild the country.
Despite the explosions, Macron refused to interrupt his program. In an official statement on the X social network, he wrote:
„Nothing can stifle the aspiration of Syrian men and women to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic and united Syria.
However, security services acknowledge that the incident demonstrates a serious security breach and shows how fragile stability in the country remains, especially after just a week ago another similar explosion in a cafe in Damascus claimed the lives of 10 people.