In brief
After two explosions close to the presidential palace, French President Emmanuel Macron remained unharmed as the Élysée confirmed the situation. The blasts were linked to two explosive devices, causing smoke and fire and leaving several wounded. Macron had arrived Monday to meet Syria’s deputy head of state, marking the first European visit since the country’s 24‑year war. The incident underscores a broader crisis that endangers not only the country’s political stability but also the livelihoods and natural heritage of Syria’s indigenous peoples.
French President Emmanuel Macron returned safely to the presidential palace in Damascus after two explosions near the city’s main streets, the Élysée said. The blasts, attributed to two explosive devices, caused smoke and flames from a vehicle close to a hotel and left several wounded.
The incidents occurred while Macron was en route to a meeting with Syrian Vice President Ahmed al‑Sharaa, marking the first visit of a European head of state since the fall of Bashar al‑Assad’s 24‑year rule. The conflict has left millions displaced and has severely damaged the nation’s cultural and natural heritage, including the living traditions of indigenous Kurdish and Assyrian communities that rely on the land for agriculture, kinship, and spiritual practices.
Local officials report that the explosions took place approximately 125 metres from the Four Seasons hotel on Shoukry al‑Quwatly, a major thoroughfare that runs through the heart of the city. While no one in Macron’s entourage heard the blasts en route to the meeting, the incident highlights the ongoing risk to civilians as well as to the fragile ecosystems that sustain these communities.
Following the events in Damascus, Macron is set to head to Turkey for the NATO summit, indicating that diplomatic priorities remain unchanged even amid escalating tensions. The story foregrounds the urgent need for protection of indigenous knowledge and natural resources that are increasingly threatened by conflict, vandalism, and violence.
