Explosions were heard in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Tuesday coinciding with the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron.
The blasts reportedly occurred near Victoria Bridge due to several explosive devices close to the hotel where Macron is staying in Damascus.
This coincides with President Emmanuel Macron's unprecedented visit to Damascus on Monday, marking the first visit by a major Western leader to Syria since President Ahmed Al-Shara took office in late 2024 after the ousting of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
This is the first visit by a French president to Syria since former President Nicolas Sarkozy's second visit in 2009, before the breakdown in relations following the previous government's brutal crackdown on protests in 2011, which quickly escalated into a disastrous conflict resulting in over half a million deaths.
Macron is the first head of an EU member state to visit Damascus since Assad's removal.
The official Syrian news agency (SANA) described the visit as "historic," stating that it signifies "a pivotal moment in Syria's reclaiming of international presence and exemplifies a transition in Syrian-French relations towards mutual respect and equitable partnership."