Macron’s Syria Visit Continues After Bombings Near His Security Perimeter
Damascus – French President Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic tour of Syria proceeded without interruption despite two bombings that erupted close to the security perimeter surrounding his lodging. The incidents, which took place on July 8, injured 18 individuals, including four police officers.
According to the Syrian interior ministry, security forces uncovered two IEDs during a routine operation and the devices detonated while they were being defused. Initial analysis indicated that one explosive was placed inside a parked vehicle, while the second was concealed in a rubbish bin near the tourism authority’s office.
The first explosion was recorded at 10:15 a.m., and a second blast followed eight minutes later. The majority of the wounded were members of the security services; most sustained only minor injuries, but four required surgical care. At the moment of the blasts, Macron’s convoy was roughly 10 km away from the sites.
Authorities stressed that the attacks occurred outside the tightly guarded zone that protects the president’s residence, thereby posing no direct threat to his schedule. The programme continued as planned, and specialised security units carried out a comprehensive search of the surrounding area, sealing off several streets while reviewing CCTV footage and examining leads linked to the vehicle involved.
Later in the day, interim Syrian leader Ahmed Al‑Shara received Macron at the People’s Palace to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments. This visit marks the first time a French president has travelled to Syria since 2009 and featured a Franco‑Syrian Business Forum that produced a series of memoranda of understanding covering ports, aviation, energy, water, health, digital infrastructure and manufacturing.
Macron reiterated France’s commitment to aid Syria’s reconstruction, banking reforms and the voluntary return of refugees, prioritising these areas for future cooperation. The recent explosions have heightened concerns about security in the capital, following a café bombing a week earlier that killed nine people and injured twenty, as well as a car bomb outside the defence ministry in May that claimed one soldier’s life and left at least 18 injured.