Share to ClassroomBombs Hurt 18 During Macron's Syria Visit
Two homemade bombs exploded in central Damascus on Tuesday. They went off near the hotel where President Emmanuel Macron was staying during his visit. At least 18 people were hurt, including four police officers. Security forces had found the bombs in a car and a bin. They blew up as experts got ready to make them safe. Macron was not in the hotel. He was meeting Syria's new interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The attack came during a visit full of meaning. Macron is the first big Western leader to visit Damascus since Bashar al-Assad lost power in late 2024. His talks with al-Sharaa were seen as support for Syria's new government. Al-Sharaa once led an Islamist group, but now wants to show that Syria is safe. France has backed him and asked other countries to lift sanctions. But Syria is still not safe. Days earlier, a bomb at a busy cafe killed at least nine people.
Macron did not stop his visit. Later, al-Sharaa thanked him for his courage. The two countries agreed to send ambassadors again, restoring ties France ended in 2012. His business team also signed more than a dozen deals in flights, banking, and health. About 90% of Syrians are poor after years of war, so the deals brought hope of recovery.
