Overview
- French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Damascus on Monday as the first Western leader to visit since the overthrow of Bashar al‑Assad and held talks with interim president Ahmed al‑Sharaa.
- Two improvised explosive devices detonated near the Four Seasons hotel on Tuesday, injuring about 18 people according to Syrian authorities and local reporting.
- Initial investigations found one device placed in a rubbish container and the other in a parked vehicle, security services say, and no group has claimed responsibility as probes continue.
- The Élysée confirmed Macron was safe and that his visit would continue while diplomatic talks advanced plans to restore embassy‑level ties, return 23 archaeological objects and discuss returning seized Assad‑era assets.
- The blasts underscore Damascus’s fragile security after recent café and street attacks and raise questions about risks for investors and long‑term reconstruction efforts, with officials citing IS‑linked cells and loyalist underground groups as threats.