A series of explosive devices detonated near a hotel in Damascus where French President Emmanuel Macron is currently staying, according to a security source. The cause of the explosions in the Syrian capital remains unknown.
Macron arrived in Syria on Monday, marking the first visit to Damascus by a European Union head of state since President Ahmed al-Sharaa's administration came to power in 2024, following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. This visit highlights Syria's evolving geopolitical landscape under Sharaa, who has fostered closer ties with Western and Middle Eastern nations after years of international isolation under Assad.
"I am here to affirm France's commitment to the Syrian people. For a sovereign Syria, united in its diversity and at peace with its neighbours. Together, let's open a new page of stability and peace," Macron stated on the social media platform X. He was welcomed at Damascus airport by Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani and is scheduled to hold a working dinner with Sharaa, followed by further meetings on Tuesday.
Syria's reconstruction is a central theme of Macron's visit. He is accompanied by business leaders, including the chief executives of TotalEnergies and CMA CGM, according to a French presidential official. The official also noted that Macron intends to emphasize France's support for a pluralistic Syria that respects all its communities and to meet with Syrians from diverse backgrounds.
President Sharaa, a member of Syria's Sunni Muslim majority, has committed to establishing an inclusive government since ending the Assad family's long rule. However, his administration has faced challenges, including instances of violence between pro-government forces and members of religious and ethnic minority groups, which resulted in hundreds of fatalities last year.
The French presidential official stressed that Syria can only be a partner for France if pluralism is fully embraced, and that France opposes any form of exclusive power replacing another. Sharaa had previously met with Macron during a visit to France last year, his first to a European country after Assad's removal.
Macron had previously advocated for the lifting of Western sanctions on Syria, which were largely rescinded last year. Sharaa, who publicly disassociated from al-Qaeda in 2016, has guided Syria into a new era, characterized by his close relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. Syria joined the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State last year.
There have been recent discussions about Syrian forces potentially combatting the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, which supported Assad during the Syrian conflict. The French presidential official conveyed that Macron made it clear to Sharaa that Syria must not deploy forces into Lebanon under any circumstances, a commitment Sharaa reportedly affirmed. Sharaa has previously denied any Syrian military presence in Lebanon.
Following Assad's ouster, France played a role in mediating between Damascus and Syrian Kurdish groups that had controlled significant territory in the north while fighting as part of the anti-ISIS alliance. A U.S.-backed integration agreement between Damascus and Syria's dominant Kurdish groups was signed in February after government forces regained control of parts of the Kurdish-held territory.
