Video: France’s Macron narrowly escapes bombing near Syria hotel
Abdullateef Fowewe
French President Emmanuel Macron has escaped what may have been an assassination attempt on Tuesday when two bombs exploded outside the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus, the French presidential palace.
It was gathered that Macron remained unharmed and carried on with scheduled meetings.
“The president is safe and his visit continues,” the Élysée said in a statement.
Macron left the hotel before the blasts, and was meeting Syrian counterpart Ahmed al‑Sharaa in the Syrian presidential palace with their delegations at the time, French officials said.
State media, citing an unnamed security official, said the blasts were caused by explosive devices.
A source told Agence France‑Presse that one device had been hidden in a dumpster and another was placed in a vehicle near the hotel.
Syrian state television reported 18 people wounded, including four police officers.
A plume of smoke was visible over the site and social media videos showed a vehicle ablaze and blood‑stained streets.
The attacks follow a deadly bombing days earlier at a café near Damascus’ Justice Palace that killed at least 10 people and wounded about 20.
Posting on X later on Tuesday, Macron did not refer to the explosions directly but framed the visit in political terms: nothing can “smother the aspiration of Syrian women and men to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, and united Syria,” and he added, “My visit continues.”
Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa, a former Islamist commander who helped topple Bashar al‑Assad less than two years ago, has renounced his past ties to al‑Qaeda and sought closer relations with the U.S. and Europe over the past year.
His government continues to combat ISIS remnants while U.S. and Israeli forces have maintained strikes on ISIS targets inside Syria.
