Two Bomb Explosions Shake Damascus During Macron's Syria Visit

Tuesday's bombing was already the ninth in Damascus since the beginning of May. As recently as last Thursday, nine people were killed and 21 others injured in a bomb attack at a café near the Palace of Justice. There had also been several attacks in the Syrian capital in the weeks and months before that. No group has yet claimed responsibility for any of the incidents.

Historic Visit to Damascus

Macron had already arrived in the Syrian capital on Monday evening. He is the first Western European head of state to visit Syria since the fall of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Sources from European diplomatic circles in Syria said Paris had been preparing the visit for months. The Élysée Palace had kept Macron's trip secret until his arrival, citing security concerns among other reasons.

Following a working dinner, Macron and Sharaa visited the famous Umayyad Mosque in Damascus on Monday evening. In pre-Islamic times, the mosque had once been a Roman temple and later a Christian basilica. This «jewel of Syria» bears witness «to so many centuries of history, of religions and of civilizations,» Macron wrote. Later on Tuesday, Macron plans to travel on to the NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Despite the explosions, Macron continued his schedule as planned. As the French presidency announced, Macron would continue his visit to Syria. «Nothing will be able to prevent the Syrians' pursuit of a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic and united Syria,» Macron wrote on the online service X. His visit would go on.

France's Commitment to Syria

At the press conference following the meeting with Sharaa, Macron described France as a «reliable and predictable partner» for Syria. He announced that France plans to return frozen assets worth more than 50 million euros from the fallen Assad regime to Syria. Macron spoke of a new chapter of stability and peace.

France also intends to send an ambassador back to Syria. Macron was accompanied by a delegation of French entrepreneurs from the energy, construction and transport sectors. Energy giant Total is already involved in gas projects off the Syrian coast, and the shipping company CMA CGM operates the port of Latakia. Syria's government also announced the purchase of eight civilian Airbus aircraft from France.

Macron also announced the return of 23 archaeological objects to Syria that had been loaned to the Institut du monde arabe in Paris in 2010 and not returned due to the Syrian civil war. On Tuesday, an official meeting between Macron and Sharaa and a joint press conference are scheduled to take place.

Economic Cooperation

The talks are expected to focus, among other things, on possible investments in Syria and the reconstruction of the country after the civil war, which lasted 13 years. Syrian transitional President Sharaa had already visited Paris in May 2025; at the time, he was the first Syrian head of state to be received by a Western head of state. Even during Sharaa's visit to Paris in May 2025, Macron had to defend himself against the accusation of granting international legitimacy to a former jihadist.

Syrian parliamentarian Annas al-Abdah, who once led the Syrian National Coalition in exile, an opposition alliance directed against Assad, views the visit positively. «The visit of an influential European leader is extremely important to strengthen confidence in Syria,» said the 59-year-old. «I hope above all for new investments,» said al-Abdah a few hours before Macron's arrival on Monday.

Syrian Transitional Government and Minorities

The state-run Syrian news agency SANA wrote of a «historic visit» and a «decisive milestone in restoring Syria's international presence.» Ahmed al-Sharaa has also received an invitation to the meeting of the Western military alliance.

Sharaa once led an Islamist militia before beginning to style himself as a pragmatic statesman. He is a Sunni Muslim, as is the majority of the Syrian population. Since coming to power in December 2024, Syria's new Islamist leadership under Sharaa has repeatedly assured that it will protect the country's minorities. Paris also stands for a Syria «that respects all its population groups,» the Élysée Palace had announced.

Among others, the so-called Islamic State (IS) had called for a fight against the government because of Sharaa's alignment with the West. Several hundred people were also killed last year in fighting between rival groups in Syria. A year and a half after Assad's fall, the security situation in the country remains fragile.

Fragile Security Situation

France will not allow «one autocracy to replace another» in Syria, the Élysée Palace had stated. Macron would advocate «for a free, pluralistic Syria that respects all its population groups.» Syria should play a «moderating role» in the tensions of the Middle East.

This news was broadcast on 07.07.2026 on Deutschlandfunk.