Explosions injure 18 in Damascus during Macron's visit

Image source, Reuters Image caption, Videos and images on social media showed emergency services working around flames and damage caused by apparent explosions By Hugo Bachega , Middle East correspondent  and  Adam Goldsmith Published 7 July 2026, 09:34 BST Updated 45 minutes ago A number of people have been injured after explosive devices went off in central Damascus, reportedly near the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron had been staying. A security source told the BBC the blasts were caused by two devices. Syrian media said 18 people, including four police officers, were injured. Macron is in the capital for talks with his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace. His officials said he was safe and did not hear the explosions. After travelling to Syria, Macron is set to head to Turkey for the Nato summit. The visit "continues as planned", according to the Elysee Palace. After reports of explosions in the city, videos and images on social media showed plumes of smoke and flames rising from a vehicle near a hotel in the Syrian capital. As those reports came in, Syrian state television said that al-Sharaa had welcomed Macron to the presidential palace. BBC Verify has been analysing video footage of the blasts, which shows the explosions happened approximately 125m from the Four Seasons hotel, on the pavement of Shoukry al-Quowatly, a major thoroughfare running through the capital. Image source, Reuters Image caption, Macron's officials said the French president did not hear any explosions on his way to meeting Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa Macron arrived in Syria on Monday evening, becoming the first EU leader to visit since the end of Bashar al‑Assad's 24‑year rule. At the start of July, a bomb blast at a crowded cafe in central Damascus killed at least nine people and injured 22 others, according to Syrian state media. Additional reporting by Richard Irvine-Brown Related topics Emmanuel Macron Syria Damascus More on this story Bomb blast at Damascus cafe kills nine, Syrian state media say Published 4 days ago