Explosions Rock Damascus During Macron's Visit; French President Unharmed.

Explosions rocked Damascus on Tuesday as French President Emmanuel Macron met with his Syrian counterpart Ahmad al-Sharaa during a landmark visit to the country.

Macron had entered the presidential palace to meet the Syrian president when the blasts occurred near the Four Seasons Hotel. Paris said Macron was unharmed and was continuing his visit as scheduled.

At least two explosions were heard in the heart of the Syrian capital, the newspaper Al-Watan and the Syria TV network reported. A large plume of smoke could be seen rising from the site, while footage widely circulated on social media showed a vehicle on fire and blood stains on the street.

Syrian officials said 18 people, including four police officers, were wounded in the blasts. Syrian authorities did not immediately issue a detailed comment on the incident.

Macron is the first European Union leader to travel to Syria since the fall of the Assad regime. He arrived in the country on Monday for the first visit by a Western European head of state since Syria’s new authorities took power.

The French president played a major role in pushing Europe and the United States to lift most sanctions on Syria. His visit marks a landmark moment for Syria’s post-Assad era, as Macron is the first Western leader to visit the country since al-Sharaa came to power.

Videos circulated on social media showed the moment of one of at least two explosions in Damascus, near a hotel where the French president was staying during his official visit.