Blast injuries reported in Damascus as Macron meets Syrian foreign minister

Several people were injured in a series of explosions that rocked Damascus on Thursday, prompting emergency services to cordon off the affected neighborhoods and treat victims for shrapnel wounds and burns. Authorities did not immediately disclose the number of casualties or the precise cause of the blasts, but officials said the incidents occurred near the central district while French President Emmanuel Macron was holding a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al‑Sharaa at the presidential palace. The timing of the explosions, coinciding with the high‑level diplomatic engagement, led to heightened security alerts across the capital, and the Syrian interior ministry announced an investigation to determine whether the blasts were the result of a technical failure, an accident or an intentional act.

Macron’s visit, the first by a French head of state to Syria in more than a decade, aims to discuss the reconstruction of war‑torn areas, the release of French‑held detainees and broader regional stability. The meeting comes amid ongoing international efforts to revive the 2018 cease‑fire framework and to address humanitarian needs in a country still reeling from a decade of civil war. While the Syrian government condemned the explosions as “acts of sabotage,” it reiterated its commitment to continue diplomatic talks with France. The incidents underscore the fragile security environment in Damascus even as diplomatic overtures seek to pave the way for renewed cooperation and reconstruction initiatives.