Eighteen people, including four police officers, were injured Tuesday when two homemade explosive devices exploded near Syria’s Tourism Ministry in central Damascus during a disposal operation, the Interior Ministry said.
In a statement carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the ministry said Internal Security Forces discovered the two explosive devices during field operations and deployed specialized units to defuse them. The devices detonated while preparations for the disposal operation were underway.
The ministry said the first device had been placed inside a parked vehicle, while the second was hidden inside a garbage container. An initial assessment indicated that both devices were crudely manufactured.
Two explosions occurred in Damascus during the visit of the French president to the Syrian capital.
— Warfare Analysis (@warfareanalysis) July 7, 2026
Syrian media: The first explosion involved a small explosive device that was thrown into a garbage container near the Ministry of Tourism.
The second explosion involved a… pic.twitter.com/vZp8g7k2Ah
Security forces sealed off the area to protect civilians as specialized units launched search operations and an investigation to identify those responsible, the ministry said.
The ministry said the blast site was outside the designated security perimeter for French President Emmanuel Macron’s accommodation and posed no direct threat to his residence or his official visit, which is continuing as scheduled.
The French presidency said Macron was “safe and sound,” according to French daily Le Figaro.
🇫🇷🇸🇾⚡️ — French President Emmanuel Macron, alongside Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, visited the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. pic.twitter.com/E554AgI3FJ
— News.Az (@news_az) July 7, 2026
No group has claimed responsibility for the explosions.
The incident came less than a week after an improvised explosive device exploded near a cafe close to the Palace of Justice on the road leading to the Hamidiya market in central Damascus on July 2, killing 10 people and injuring 21 others, according to Syria’s Health Ministry.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)