French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Tuesday that Syria must not be destabilised after twin bomb attacks near the Damascus hotel where he spent the night, during a landmark state visit to a country emerging from years of civil war.
Issued on: 08/07/2026 - RFI
Emergency personnel work as smoke and fire rise at the site where explosive devices blew up near a hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was meant to be staying, in Damascus, Syria, in this screengrab obtained from a video, July 7, 2026. © 路透社图片
The attacks cast a shadow over the first trip of a European Union head of state since Bashar al-Assad was toppled in late 2024, as President Ahmed al-Sharaa tries to rebuild the country's image after more than a decade of conflict.
The two leaders vowed to step up economic and diplomatic ties with new ambassadors to be installed in each country.
In a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Macron said we must "not let ourselves be destabilised" by such attacks, before which he had already left for the presidential palace in the heart of the Syrian capital, and reiterated Paris' support for the country.
Sharaa saluted Macron's "courage" for carrying on with his visit despite the bombings.
The attacks cast a shadow over the first trip of a European Union head of state since Bashar al-Assad was toppled in late 2024, as President Ahmed al-Sharaa tries to rebuild the country's image after more than a decade of conflict.
The two leaders vowed to step up economic and diplomatic ties with new ambassadors to be installed in each country.
In a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Macron said we must "not let ourselves be destabilised" by such attacks, before which he had already left for the presidential palace in the heart of the Syrian capital, and reiterated Paris' support for the country.
Sharaa saluted Macron's "courage" for carrying on with his visit despite the bombings.
France's President Emmanuel Macron and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa shake hands on the day they meet in Damascus, Syria, on 7 July, 2026. REUTERS - Mahmoud Hassano
A team of French press agency AFP saw Macron arrive for a meeting with Sharaa, while other journalists heard at least one blast echo through Damascus before seeing a plume of smoke rising near the hotel, where security forces closed a road and ambulances rushed to the scene.
Syria's interior ministry said one bomb had been placed inside a car parked on the side of a road, while the second was planted in a garbage container.
It said they exploded "while preparations were underway" to dismantle them.
Syria state media said the blasts wounded 18 people, including four police officers.
An AFP photographer near Syria's tourism ministry, opposite the hotel, saw windows damaged by one of the explosions, amid a heavy security presence.
Economic forum
France's Elysee Palace said Macron would continue his trip until his expected departure on Tuesday evening, when he travels to Ankara for a NATO summit and holds talks there the following day with Turkey's president.
The explosions are the second in the Syrian capital since Thursday, when 10 people were killed in a bombing in a Damascus cafe.
The French president had postponed announcing the date of his visit until his plane landed on Monday, for security reasons.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said that Macron's visit marked a "pivotal point" in the two countries' relations, vowing to continue to "confront terrorism in all its forms".
Sharaa also announced "our agreement to begin the process of exchanging resident ambassadors between Damascus and Paris as soon as possible, signalling the return of diplomatic relations to their normal state".
The blasts came moments before Syrian state television announced Macron's arrival at the palace.
The visit included an economic forum during which the two sides signed 15 bilateral agreements in several sectors, including civil aviation, health, banking, water infrastructure and roads, although French investors remain cautious about the situation.
"After the Strait of Hormuz crisis, the world realises the value of a safe and stable corridor," Sharaa said at the forum.
"Here the importance is highlighted of the geography of Syria, which today has regained its vital role as an indispensable link in the global corridors market."
Macron was accompanied by several economic players including Rodolphe Saade, chief executive of maritime transport giant CMA CGM, and TotalEnergies head Patrick Pouyanne.
Before the Damascus blasts, Pouyanne said that "the security situation still doesn't allow us to operate, but I think it is a positive initiative to come here, to Damascus".
A team of French press agency AFP saw Macron arrive for a meeting with Sharaa, while other journalists heard at least one blast echo through Damascus before seeing a plume of smoke rising near the hotel, where security forces closed a road and ambulances rushed to the scene.
Syria's interior ministry said one bomb had been placed inside a car parked on the side of a road, while the second was planted in a garbage container.
It said they exploded "while preparations were underway" to dismantle them.
Syria state media said the blasts wounded 18 people, including four police officers.
An AFP photographer near Syria's tourism ministry, opposite the hotel, saw windows damaged by one of the explosions, amid a heavy security presence.
Economic forum
France's Elysee Palace said Macron would continue his trip until his expected departure on Tuesday evening, when he travels to Ankara for a NATO summit and holds talks there the following day with Turkey's president.
The explosions are the second in the Syrian capital since Thursday, when 10 people were killed in a bombing in a Damascus cafe.
The French president had postponed announcing the date of his visit until his plane landed on Monday, for security reasons.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said that Macron's visit marked a "pivotal point" in the two countries' relations, vowing to continue to "confront terrorism in all its forms".
Sharaa also announced "our agreement to begin the process of exchanging resident ambassadors between Damascus and Paris as soon as possible, signalling the return of diplomatic relations to their normal state".
The blasts came moments before Syrian state television announced Macron's arrival at the palace.
The visit included an economic forum during which the two sides signed 15 bilateral agreements in several sectors, including civil aviation, health, banking, water infrastructure and roads, although French investors remain cautious about the situation.
"After the Strait of Hormuz crisis, the world realises the value of a safe and stable corridor," Sharaa said at the forum.
"Here the importance is highlighted of the geography of Syria, which today has regained its vital role as an indispensable link in the global corridors market."
Macron was accompanied by several economic players including Rodolphe Saade, chief executive of maritime transport giant CMA CGM, and TotalEnergies head Patrick Pouyanne.
Before the Damascus blasts, Pouyanne said that "the security situation still doesn't allow us to operate, but I think it is a positive initiative to come here, to Damascus".
TotalEnergies to discuss Syria offshore exploration, still wary of insecurity
TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné said security concerns still rule out a return to onshore oil operations, but confirmed the French company is rebuilding its Iraq-Syria oil transit routes.
Issued on: 08/07/2026 - RFI
Offshore exploration
Total signed a memorandum of understanding with the Syrian Petroleum Company in May to explore an offshore block in the Mediterranean.
"Syria's offshore area has never really been explored historically, so we have partnered with other companies to look into it. We will discuss it today with our Syrian counterparts to see whether we can move towards a contract," Pouyanné said.
TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné said security concerns still rule out a return to onshore oil operations, but confirmed the French company is rebuilding its Iraq-Syria oil transit routes.
Issued on: 08/07/2026 - RFI
France's President Emmanuel Macron and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa shake hands on the day they meet in Damascus, Syria, on 7 July, 2026. REUTERS - Mahmoud Hassano
Pouyanné, said on Tuesday that he would discuss signing an offshore exploration contract with Syrian officials, but added that lingering insecurity meant a return to onshore oil activities was still not a viable option.
The CEO was accompanying French President Emmanuel Macron on his visit to the country as part of a business delegation, but the meetings were overshadowed by bomb attacks in the capital Damascus on Tuesday.
Prior to pulling out of Syria in 2011 owing to EU sanctions, Total produced around 30,000 barrels of oil per day in the country's east, as well as some gas.
"Clearly the security situation still does not allow us to work here today," Pouyanné told journalists in Damascus.
"Today the sector is in poor condition. Various groups continued producing during the conflict, but in a completely irregular way. Frankly, Syria is not a major oil story," he said.
Pouyanné was speaking shortly before the bomb attacks. A Total press representative declined to comment on whether his schedule had been affected by the incident.
The blasts wounded 18 people near the Four Seasons hotel, where Macron had spent the night. Macron, whose motorcade had left the hotel shortly before the blasts, did not hear the explosions. He pressed ahead with his visit, meeting President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace.
Pouyanné, said on Tuesday that he would discuss signing an offshore exploration contract with Syrian officials, but added that lingering insecurity meant a return to onshore oil activities was still not a viable option.
The CEO was accompanying French President Emmanuel Macron on his visit to the country as part of a business delegation, but the meetings were overshadowed by bomb attacks in the capital Damascus on Tuesday.
Prior to pulling out of Syria in 2011 owing to EU sanctions, Total produced around 30,000 barrels of oil per day in the country's east, as well as some gas.
"Clearly the security situation still does not allow us to work here today," Pouyanné told journalists in Damascus.
"Today the sector is in poor condition. Various groups continued producing during the conflict, but in a completely irregular way. Frankly, Syria is not a major oil story," he said.
Pouyanné was speaking shortly before the bomb attacks. A Total press representative declined to comment on whether his schedule had been affected by the incident.
The blasts wounded 18 people near the Four Seasons hotel, where Macron had spent the night. Macron, whose motorcade had left the hotel shortly before the blasts, did not hear the explosions. He pressed ahead with his visit, meeting President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace.
Offshore exploration
Total signed a memorandum of understanding with the Syrian Petroleum Company in May to explore an offshore block in the Mediterranean.
"Syria's offshore area has never really been explored historically, so we have partnered with other companies to look into it. We will discuss it today with our Syrian counterparts to see whether we can move towards a contract," Pouyanné said.
TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne on 23 March, 2026.
REUTERS - Danielle Villasana
"Obviously, we'd rather find oil than gas, but in the eastern Mediterranean most discoveries so far, in Cyprus and Israel, for example, have been gas," he added.
Total has also recently spoken about the need to build pipelines through Syria to transport oil from Iraq as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Pouyanne reiterated on Tuesday that projects to rebuild oil transit routes between Iraq and Syria, such as the Kirkuk-Baniyas pipeline, were the priority.
No project site visits were planned for Total during the trip, the CEO said, because the terrain was not safe enough to send teams in.
"We need to give the government time to establish control over the country, we also have to be realistic with a country emerging from 15 years of civil war. We need patience, this will be part of our discussions," he said.
Looking to rebuild
France and Syria will begin restoring €51 million in confiscated Rifaat al-Assad assets, the Elysée said.
Macron said France was working to redefine its security and military cooperation with Syria, including possible support from French special forces in the fight against Islamic State, which has claimed several attacks on Syrian forces this year.
Posting on the social network X shortly after the blasts, Macron said his visit was continuing and praised the "dignity, courage and determination" of the Syrians he had met.
Rebuilding Aleppo brick by brick
"We are not naive about the risks, but they are being managed," Macron
said later in a news conference with Sharaa. "Certain groups" sought to prevent "Syria's full and complete reintegration into the international community", he added.
Macron led calls for the lifting of Western sanctions on Syria last year, and said France was ready to help rebuild Syria's economy and banking sector.
The Elysee said the logistics company CMA CGM signed a partnership deal with Syria, including air cargo freight handling at Damascus airport, and that France and Syria would start a process to restore to Syria €51 million of assets confiscated from the late Rifaat al-Assad, Bashar's uncle.
"Obviously, we'd rather find oil than gas, but in the eastern Mediterranean most discoveries so far, in Cyprus and Israel, for example, have been gas," he added.
Total has also recently spoken about the need to build pipelines through Syria to transport oil from Iraq as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Pouyanne reiterated on Tuesday that projects to rebuild oil transit routes between Iraq and Syria, such as the Kirkuk-Baniyas pipeline, were the priority.
No project site visits were planned for Total during the trip, the CEO said, because the terrain was not safe enough to send teams in.
"We need to give the government time to establish control over the country, we also have to be realistic with a country emerging from 15 years of civil war. We need patience, this will be part of our discussions," he said.
Looking to rebuild
France and Syria will begin restoring €51 million in confiscated Rifaat al-Assad assets, the Elysée said.
Macron said France was working to redefine its security and military cooperation with Syria, including possible support from French special forces in the fight against Islamic State, which has claimed several attacks on Syrian forces this year.
Posting on the social network X shortly after the blasts, Macron said his visit was continuing and praised the "dignity, courage and determination" of the Syrians he had met.
Rebuilding Aleppo brick by brick
"We are not naive about the risks, but they are being managed," Macron
said later in a news conference with Sharaa. "Certain groups" sought to prevent "Syria's full and complete reintegration into the international community", he added.
Macron led calls for the lifting of Western sanctions on Syria last year, and said France was ready to help rebuild Syria's economy and banking sector.
The Elysee said the logistics company CMA CGM signed a partnership deal with Syria, including air cargo freight handling at Damascus airport, and that France and Syria would start a process to restore to Syria €51 million of assets confiscated from the late Rifaat al-Assad, Bashar's uncle.
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