Daijiworld Media Network - Damascus

Damascus, Jul 7: At least 18 people, including four police officers, were injured after two explosions struck near Syria's Ministry of Tourism in Damascus on Tuesday, shortly before a scheduled meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

The blasts occurred as security personnel were attempting to defuse two explosive devices discovered during routine field operations, according to Syria's Interior Ministry.

The ministry said preliminary investigations indicated that both devices were crudely manufactured. One explosive had been concealed inside a parked vehicle, while the other had been hidden in a roadside garbage container. Authorities said both detonated during preparations to safely dismantle them.

Investigators have launched a probe to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those responsible.

The explosions took place only hours before Macron's meeting with President al-Sharaa at the presidential palace. Macron, who arrived in Damascus on Monday, is the first senior European leader to visit Syria since the collapse of former President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Several media reports indicated that the blasts occurred close to the hotel where the French President was staying. However, the French Presidency confirmed that Macron was unharmed and that his official visit would proceed as planned.

The latest incident follows a series of recent security attacks in the Syrian capital. On July 3, an improvised explosive device detonated at a café near the Justice Palace in central Damascus, killing nine people and injuring 20 others. Officials described it as a terrorist attack involving a bomb packed with metal fragments, while forensic teams launched an investigation using surveillance footage and witness statements.

A day later, Syrian authorities announced that security forces had successfully foiled another bombing attempt targeting a passenger bus in a suburb of Damascus.

Earlier, three security personnel were injured in an attack on a checkpoint in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, highlighting continuing security challenges despite recent political developments in the country.