Explosions shake Damascus as France’s Emmanuel Macron visits

{"text":[[{"start":8.25,"text":"Explosions shook Damascus and injured 18 people as French President Emmanuel Macron met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa nearby during the first visit by an EU leader to Syria since the fall of the Assad regime."}],[{"start":24,"text":"Multiple blasts rocked the centre of the Syrian capital on Tuesday morning. Footage on Syrian media showed a car on fire and a separate explosion at a large intersection, with dark smoke billowing over the city. "}],[{"start":37.55,"text":"The Syrian Ministry of Interior said two crude explosive devices had detonated after being placed in a parked car and a refuse bin, and that security forces were searching for those behind the attack, according to state media."}],[{"start":50.349999999999994,"text":"The explosions took place near the Syrian Ministry of Tourism — which is close to the Four Seasons Hotel — and wounded at least 18 people, including four police officers, the interior ministry said. "}],[{"start":62.099999999999994,"text":"Around the time of the explosions, Macron visited the presidential palace with Sharaa. Syrian state media showed the French leader walking down a red carpet as he was greeted by top Syrian officials, while Sharaa shook hands with the French delegation. "}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":76.69999999999999,"text":"French authorities said Macron was unharmed and that a one-on-one meeting between Macron and Sharaa at the palace would proceed as planned."}],[{"start":85.6,"text":"The bombing comes just days after 10 people were killed when an explosive device detonated in a café near the Palace of Justice in central Damascus, the first such incident in the capital in months."}],[{"start":97.1,"text":"The breach during the landmark visit is a setback for Sharaa, who has struggled to gain control over the war-torn and divided country. "}],[{"start":104.75,"text":"Security forces had spotted the explosive devices but they detonated as forces tried to dismantle them, the interior ministry said, according to state media. "}],[{"start":114.3,"text":"The ministry said the explosions were outside the security perimeter set for Macron’s visit and “did not pose a direct threat” to his place of residence or his schedule. "}],[{"start":122.95,"text":"Paris had been an early supporter of lifting sanctions on Syria after Sharaa’s forces toppled the regime of Bashar al-Assad in 2024, and Macron’s visit marks the first by a head of state from western Europe or North America to Syria since Sharaa took power. "}],[{"start":138.6,"text":"“I’ve come to affirm France’s engagement to the Syrian people. For a sovereign Syria, united in its diversity and at peace with its neighbours,” Macron said in a post on X. “Together, let us open a new page of stability and peace.” "}],[{"start":154,"text":"The French leader is set to hold an economic forum dedicated to Syria’s reconstruction after meeting with Sharaa, according to a schedule shared by Paris."}],[{"start":163.75,"text":"After arriving on Monday evening, Macron was greeted by Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shibani and then had a working dinner with Sharaa. "}],[{"start":172.1,"text":"Macron’s visit is the first by a French president since 2009, before the start of the Syrian uprising that was brutally crushed by the Assad regime and which then spiralled into civil war, Syrian state media said. "}],[{"start":184.54999999999998,"text":"Macron will later travel to Turkey for a Nato summit."}],[{"start":188.29999999999998,"text":"Additional reporting by Adrienne Klasa "}],[{"start":197.9,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1783419740_6655.mp3"}