Macron Becomes First European Leader to Visit Post-Assad Syria; Explosions Rock Damascus During Visit

French President Emmanuel Macron became the first European head of state to visit Syria since Assad's December 2024 ouster, meeting President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus on July 7, 2026. France returned 23 antique Syrian artefacts it had held since the 2011 civil war began, and Macron said he hoped France could help rebuild Syria's economy and banking sector; al-Sharaa said he envisions France as a 'primary partner' for Damascus. During the visit, two explosions — one device in a garbage bin, another in a parked car — struck a busy area near the Ministry of Tourism and the Four Seasons Hotel where Macron had stayed the night before, wounding 18 people including four police officers. Macron was not present when the blasts occurred and was unharmed; no group claimed responsibility, though analysts said the devices appeared to target roads used by his convoy.