Syria says suspects arrested after Damascus bombings
Interior Minister Anas Khattab said raids in and around Damascus led to arrests tied to blasts that injured 36 during Emmanuel Macron’s visit.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Syrian authorities say they have arrested a group accused of carrying out bombings in Damascus that injured 36 people during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron. The arrests matter for Syria’s new leadership as it tries to show control over security after Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab said Thursday that the group behind what he called terrorist bombings in the capital two days earlier was in custody, according to a statement carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency. Khattab said officials would disclose the suspects’ identities, alleged roles and connections after investigators finish their work.
The suspects were detained in coordinated raids in four areas of Damascus and the surrounding countryside, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. Syrian authorities did not immediately announce how many people were arrested.
Two bombs went off Tuesday near the Four Seasons hotel, where Macron had spent the night, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. The visit was the first by a European Union head of state since al-Assad was removed from power in December 2024, according to the same report.
Syria’s Interior Ministry said one explosive device had been hidden in a parked car and another in a rubbish bin. The ministry said both devices detonated while specialists were trying to make them safe.
Macron, speaking alongside Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa after the attack, said the response should include support for the wounded, a firm security posture and an effort to avoid being destabilised, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.
Security pressure on Damascus
Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that Tuesday’s bombings were part of a broader series of security breaches in Syria. The attacks have underscored the political and security strain facing the country since the change in government.
The bombings also disrupted the message of Macron’s visit, which came as Damascus seeks to re-engage internationally after al-Assad’s overthrow, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The blasts occurred while a foreign leader was in the capital, raising pressure on Syrian authorities to explain how the attack was planned and carried out.
Damascus had already been hit by another deadly attack days earlier. Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that nine people were killed last week when a bomb exploded at a crowded cafe in central Damascus.
No group has claimed responsibility for that cafe attack, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. Damascus Governor Maher Marwan said “bad actors” were trying to destabilise the country, the outlets reported.
Khattab said the government would provide more details on the detained cell once the investigation is complete, according to SANA. Syrian authorities have not publicly linked the Damascus hotel-area blasts to the earlier cafe bombing.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.