Syrian authorities said one person had died and at least 36 others were wounded after two explosions in central Damascus a day earlier, an attack that coincided with French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to the Syrian capital.
The updated count was carried by Syria's state news agency, citing the Ministry of Health. The ministry said 31 of the injured had minor wounds. Five others were admitted to hospital and were in stable condition.
The explosions occurred near the Ministry of Tourism and the Four Seasons Hotel. Macron had stayed at the hotel the previous night, but his office said he had already left for Syria's presidential palace when the devices detonated and did not hear them.
According to Syria's Ministry of Interior, one explosive device had been put inside a vehicle parked beside a road and another had been placed in a rubbish container. The ministry said the devices went off as preparations were being made to dismantle them. No attribution for the attack was included in the initial account.
Macron continued his schedule. Appearing with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, he said the attacks should not be allowed to derail the visit. Al-Sharaa praised the French president for proceeding with the trip. The visit was the first by a European Union head of state since Bashar al-Assad was removed from power in 2024.
The bombings added a security challenge to an occasion intended to deepen ties between Damascus and Paris. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani described the visit as an important moment in the relationship. The two countries signed 15 agreements covering areas including civil aviation, health, banking, water infrastructure and roads. Al-Sharaa said he wanted France to become a leading partner for Syria.
The explosions also followed another deadly incident in the capital. Five days earlier, an attack at a Damascus cafe killed 10 people, according to the same report. That proximity placed renewed attention on the authorities' ability to secure heavily used parts of the city during Syria's political transition.
Macron and al-Sharaa later travelled to Ankara, Turkiye, for the annual NATO summit. The diplomatic programme therefore continued, but the death and injuries in Damascus underscored the security pressures confronting the Syrian government as it seeks wider international engagement after years of conflict. The timing mattered because the devices exploded during a rare high-level European visit and close to places associated with that programme. Officials nevertheless kept the diplomatic schedule in place and announced agreements across several civilian sectors, while the casualty update separated minor injuries from the five cases requiring hospital care.
