Explosion heard in Damascus during French President Macron’s visit

DAMASCUS: An explosion was heard in central Damascus on Tuesday as French President Emmanuel Macron visited the Syrian capital, AFP journalists said, with witnesses reporting smoke rising near a high-end hotel where the leader spent the night.

At least one blast was heard before ambulances rushed to the scene, while Macron, the first Western European leader to visit Syria since the 2024 fall of longtime ruler BashaAhmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace.