Twin bombings near Macron's Damascus hotel wound 18; French president presses on with Syria visit
Two improvised bombs detonated near the Four Seasons hotel in Damascus on Tuesday, wounding 18 people including four police officers, as French President Emmanuel Macron began the second day of his landmark visit to Syria. Macron, who had already left for the presidential palace, was unharmed and vowed to continue his trip.
The attack
Two explosive devices detonated almost simultaneously on Tuesday morning near the Four Seasons hotel in central Damascus, where President Macron had spent the night. The Syrian Interior Ministry said one bomb was placed in a parked car and the other in a rubbish bin. Windows of the nearby tourism ministry were shattered. Among the 18 wounded were four police officers. Macron had already departed for the presidential palace and did not hear the blasts, his office said.
A historic visit
Macron is the first major Western leader to visit Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. He arrived on Monday evening and met civil society representatives at the hotel. On Tuesday, he held talks with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, toured the Umayyad Mosque, and attended an economic forum. The French president used the visit to pledge support for Syria's sovereignty and reconstruction.
Nothing will stifle the aspiration of Syrians to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, united Syria. This morning I met Syria in all its diversity. I saw dignity, courage and determination. My visit continues.
Security fragility
The bombings follow a café attack last Thursday that killed 10 people and wounded 21 near the justice palace. No group has claimed either attack, but US analysts and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies point to a new Islamic State offensive against al-Sharaa's government. IS spokesman Abu Hudhayfah al-Ansari declared a "new phase" of operations in February, and the Washington Institute documented at least six attacks in eastern provinces since then. Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab said the latest blasts "were aimed at undermining the French president's visit."
Ahmed al-Sharaa is trying to convince that Syria has become relatively stable and safe and that his main challenge is now economic development, to persuade Western companies they can invest. But these two explosions in Damascus send exactly the opposite signal.
Economic and diplomatic deals
Macron brought a delegation of French business leaders, including CMA-CGM CEO Rodolphe Saadé and TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné. TotalEnergies signed a memorandum of understanding for an offshore exploration block in the Mediterranean. France also pledged to return more than 50 million euros in frozen assets of the Assad regime, which Macron described as illicitly acquired by a family member of the former ruler. Al-Sharaa said he wants France to be Syria's "first partner" in reconstruction, which The Economist estimates will cost over $200 billion.
- Macron arrives in Damascus, meets civil society at Four Seasons hotel.
- Macron departs hotel for presidential palace.
- Two IEDs explode near hotel, wounding 18 people.
- Macron meets al-Sharaa; joint press conference, economic forum, TotalEnergies MoU signed, €50m asset return pledged.
Diplomatic upgrade
Al-Sharaa announced that France and Syria agreed to restore relations at ambassador level "as soon as possible." The French embassy in Damascus was closed in 2012, a year after the civil war began, and is currently represented by a chargé d'affaires. Macron's visit, and his decision to remain despite the bombings, was hailed by al-Sharaa as courageous.
Many people are suffering today from Syria's successes, the same ones who previously sought to destroy the country. Investigations are underway and I am convinced that the perpetrators of this heinous criminal act will be arrested very soon.
