Photo: EPA
Explosions were reported near the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying during his visit to Damascus on Tuesday, July 7. However, the Élysée Palace said Macron did not hear the blasts and later held scheduled talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Reuters reported.
Security forces closed roads around the hotel following the incident. The Élysée Palace said the explosions were not audible from the presidential motorcade, while a Reuters journalist traveling with Macron also reported hearing no blasts or witnessing any unrest.
Syrian state television confirmed that Macron and al-Sharaa met at the presidential palace in Damascus.
The visit highlights Syria’s shifting geopolitical landscape under al-Sharaa, the former rebel leader who once had links to al-Qaeda. Since taking power after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in 2024, al-Sharaa has strengthened ties with Western and Middle Eastern countries while pledging to rebuild Syria and establish a more inclusive political system.
Those promises, however, have been challenged by recurring violence. Clashes between pro-government forces and members of religious and ethnic minority groups last year left hundreds dead, underscoring the country’s ongoing security challenges.
Macron became the first EU head of state to visit Syria since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
