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Explosions near Macron’s Hotel in Daramsuq (Damascus), casualties reported
Explosions near Macron’s Hotel in Daramsuq (Damascus), casualties reported
07/07/2026DARAMSUQ — Explosions struck near the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was scheduled to stay during his visit to Syria on Tuesday, highlighting the persistent security risks facing the country as it seeks to rebuild after years of conflict.
A Syrian security source said explosive devices detonated near the hotel, with one blast believed to have been caused by a bomb planted on a vehicle. Additional explosions were also reported near the Syrian Tourism Ministry.
Video of a second blast was circulating on social media. Authorities quickly sealed off roads and deployed large numbers of security personnel.
مشاهد من لحظة حدوث الانفجار الثاني جراء عبوات ناسفة بدمشق https://t.co/HxJvWQoz0U pic.twitter.com/ajcjiyR8gd
— Omar Alhariri (@omar_alharir) July 7, 2026
Zeyad al-Khayat, a taxi driver who frequently parks his taxi in the area, described the scene. “We heard two powerful explosions within seconds of each other,” al-Khayat said. “People started running in every direction, and smoke rose above the area.”
Despite the incident, the Elysee Palace said Macron did not hear the explosions because he was traveling to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the time. A Reuters journalist accompanying the French delegation also reported no signs of disruption during the president’s morning engagements.
State television confirmed that Macron and Sharaa met at the Presidential Palace as planned.
Macron’s trip marks the first visit by a European Union head of state to Damascus since rebels led by Sharaa overthrew former president Bashar al-Assad in 2024. Ahead of the visit, Macron said France remained committed to supporting “a sovereign Syria, united in its diversity and at peace with its neighbors.”
The visit focuses heavily on Syria’s reconstruction efforts, with Macron accompanied by senior French business leaders, including executives from TotalEnergies and shipping group CMA CGM.
A bombing last week targeted a crowded cafe in the Hejaz district of Daramsuq, near the Palace of Justice, killing at least nine people and injuring 22 others. Syrian authorities launched an investigation, but no group has claimed responsibility.
The attack is the deadliest in the capital since a June 2025 church bombing that killed 28 people.
The incident highlights Syria’s ongoing security challenges despite the end of large-scale civil war fighting and the government’s efforts to rebuild and stabilize the country after the previous government’s collapse in December 2024.