Explosions heard near Syrian hotel where French PM was to stay
Damascus, July 7
Several explosions were heard at Damascus on Tuesday, Al Jazeera reported. Footage accessed by Al Jazeera showed plumes of smoke rising in the sky. The cause of the blasts was not immediately clear and there was no immediate information about casualties.
Two explosions were reportedly heard near a hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was meant to be staying during a visit to the capital. Authorities sealed off roads after the explosions, as per Al Jazeera.
Macron on Monday (local time) reaffirmed France's support for the Syrian people and called for a sovereign, united and peaceful Syria as he arrived in Damascus on his first official visit to the country.
The event marks the first official visit to Syria by a serving European Union head of state.
In a post shared on X, Macron said, "I have come to express France's commitment to the Syrian people. For a sovereign Syria, united in its diversity and at peace with its neighbours. Together, let us open a new chapter of stability and peace."
Earlier on July 3, a bomb blast ripped through a cafe in central Damascus near the Palace of Justice killing five people and injuring 20 others sans immediate claim of responsibility, Al Jazeera reported.
Maher Marwan Idlibi, the Governor of Damascus, said the investigation into the attack is ongoing. He confirmed that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was planted in the cafe, and at least one suspect fleeing the area was pursued and captured.
Idlibi further said there are "bad actors" trying to destabilise the country when the government is working to rebuild and stabilise the economic and security situation. Neither did he categorise this as a terrorist attack, nor did he link it to a proscribed organisation such as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Daesh, as per Al Jazeera.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is unsettling. A hotel where the French PM was to stay, and a cafe bombing days earlier. It feels like the "bad actors" are trying to send a message. Macron's call for a "sovereign, united Syria" is noble, but without internal security, peace talks are just empty words.
Macron's visit is a big deal for Syria. European leader finally stepping in shows the world hasn't forgotten Syria's crisis. But these explosions—right near his hotel—smell like sabotage by spoilers. Hope France doesn't get discouraged; Syria needs genuine support, not just lip service. 🇸🇾
Bombs near the French PM's hotel and a cafe blast killing civilians—bacha kya hai is desh mein? 😢 India mein toh aise attacks kabhi nahi hote Parliament ya PM ke paas. We should learn from India's counter-terrorism efforts. Syria needs a strong hand, not just foreign visits.
I appreciate Macron for visiting despite the risks. But the fact that the governor calls these "bad actors" instead of terrorists is a cop-out. Whether it's Daesh or someone else, they're killing innocents. India has seen enough of such ambiguity—label them clearly and act decisively!
Ye sab dekh ke dukh hota hai. Syrian log itna jhel rahe hain. Macron ki visit se kya fayda jab safety hi nahi hai? Hope the captured suspect gives leads to whoever is trying to destabilise the
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