by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
JERUSALEM/DAMASCUS (Worthy News) – Multiple explosions struck central Damascus on Tuesday near the Four Seasons Hotel, where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying during his landmark visit to the Syrian capital, highlighting the fragile security situation in a country emerging from years of war.
Video reviewed by Worthy News appeared to show a car engulfed in flames, while another clip appeared to capture an explosion from what seemed to be a roadside rubbish bin. Witnesses reported seeing smoke rising near the hotel.
Sources said Macron’s motorcade had left the Four Seasons Hotel about 15 minutes before the explosions. French officials said the president was unharmed and continued his scheduled meetings with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
At least 18 people, including four police officers, were reported injured. There were no immediate reports of fatalities, no group immediately claimed responsibility, and Syrian authorities launched an investigation into the blasts.
The Élysée Palace said the explosions were not audible from the presidential motorcade, while a Reuters journalist traveling with the French press pool reported hearing no blast and seeing no disruption during Macron’s morning engagements.
SECURITY CONCERNS REMAIN
Syrian state television later reported that Macron and al-Sharaa met as scheduled at the Presidential Palace, where the French leader reaffirmed France’s support for Syria’s political transition and reconstruction following years of devastating conflict.
Macron’s visit was widely viewed as a significant diplomatic effort to strengthen ties with Syria’s new leadership following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government. France has urged the country’s new authorities to protect minorities, combat terrorism, and pursue an inclusive political process.
Syria remains deeply scarred by more than a decade of civil war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people. During the conflict, extremist groups, including the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS), established strongholds across parts of the country before largely losing territorial control.
Although al-Sharaa has pledged to build an inclusive new political order since ending more than five decades of Assad family rule, his administration has faced recurring security challenges and outbreaks of violence, highlighting the difficulties of stabilizing the strategically located Middle Eastern nation. Minority Christians have been among those targeted by Islamic groups, Worthy News established.
The latest explosions served as a reminder that Syria continues to face serious security threats as it seeks to rebuild after one of the world’s deadliest conflicts in recent history.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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