Politics News
Twin blasts hit Damascus near Macron's hotel as he holds talks with al-Sharaa
Two explosions struck central Damascus on Tuesday, July 7, near the Four Seasons hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron had spent the night during the first visit to Syria by a Western leader since Bashar al-Assad fell in 2024. Euronews reported that Syrian authorities described the devices as improvised: one in a parked car, the other in a garbage container, with the second blast near Victoria Bridge, about 200 metres from the hotel. The interior ministry said the devices went off “while preparations were underway” to dismantle them.
Macron had left before the blasts, and the visit went ahead. Arab News, carrying an AFP report, said he met President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace, that Sharaa said investigations were ongoing, and that no one had immediately claimed responsibility. It noted that Daesh had declared a new phase of operations against Sharaa's government in February.
“We are not naive about the risks, but they are being managed.” — Emmanuel Macron, via Arab News
How each outlet framed it
- Euronews — the mechanics: where each device was, how close it was to the hotel, and that this was the second attack in Damascus in days, after a café bombing that killed 10.
- Arab News — the diplomacy: Macron pressing on, his remark that “certain groups” want to block Syria's return to the international community, and talk of French special forces help against Daesh.
- AP (via the Las Vegas Sun) — an early wire headline that put the number of wounded at four.
Where the numbers differ: Early AP reports said four people were wounded. Syria's interior ministry later gave a total of 18, including four police officers, the figure used by Euronews and Arab News.