Elysee says Macron is safe after reported explosions in central Damascus during Syrian talks

French President Emmanuel Macron was reported safe after explosions were heard in central Damascus on Tuesday while he was in the Syrian capital for meetings with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Elysee Palace said. The statement came as multiple outlets reported blasts near the area of a hotel where Macron and his delegation have been staying, prompting security measures and sealed-off roads in the city.

The Elysee said Macron was not inside the hotel at the time of the explosions and that he was traveling to the presidential palace for talks. According to the BBC, Syrian state television reported that al-Sharaa welcomed Macron at the presidential palace as the reports of blasts circulated. French officials also said Macron did not hear explosions while on his way to the meeting.

A security source cited by the BBC said the blasts were caused by two explosive devices and that several people were wounded. Other reports described explosions heard in Damascus and said additional security patrols and measures were implemented near the French leader’s hotel zone. Social media videos reviewed by some outlets showed smoke and flames rising from a vehicle near the hotel area as the incident unfolded.

Macron arrived in Syria on Monday evening and became the first EU leader to visit the country since Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule ended, according to the BBC. The visit includes a private meeting with al-Sharaa and an economic forum involving senior French and Syrian business leaders, as described by Al-Monitor. The Elysee previously said it delayed announcement of Macron’s arrival for security reasons and later confirmed his presence in the city after he was already there.

The French president’s team said the visit “continues as planned.” After completing the Damascus engagements, Macron is set to travel next to Turkey for the Nato summit, according to the BBC. As of Tuesday morning, officials were still assessing the circumstances of the explosions and the extent of injuries, with the number of wounded described as “several” in the BBC report.

The blasts come amid lingering security volatility in the Syrian capital. Earlier in July, a bomb blast at a crowded cafe in central Damascus killed at least nine people and injured 22 others, according to Syrian state media, the BBC reported. In the current incident, no group was publicly cited in the BBC account for responsibility, and authorities had not been described as issuing an immediate official attribution.

Diplomatic activities between Damascus and European partners have faced heightened security scrutiny since the political transition. The incident tests the practical resilience of high-level travel planning in Syria, with roads, hotel areas, and movement routes affected during the time Macron was in transit between the hotel and the presidential palace. Officials in Paris and Damascus said the meeting proceeded, but investigations into the blasts and follow-on security adjustments are expected to shape the remainder of Macron’s itinerary.