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Damascus – The Syrian Network for Human Rights:
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) condemns in the strongest terms the detonation of two explosive devices in the center of the capital, Damascus, on the morning of Tuesday, July 7, 2026, near the Ministry of Tourism, and at a slightly farther distance from the “Four Seasons” hotel, in which the French President Emmanuel Macron had been staying, prior to the occurrence of the two explosions, during his official visit to Syria.
The two explosions, which occurred within a few minutes of each other, resulted in the killing of one victim and the injury of 36 others with wounds of varying severity, most of them members of the Internal Security Forces, among them four members of the civilian police. Preliminary information indicates that one of the two devices was placed in a parked vehicle, while the second was placed in a waste container. However, the circumstances of the incident, the identity of its perpetrators, their motives, and the extent of the connection of the two explosions to the visit of the French President remain under investigation.
SNHR wishes a speedy recovery to all the injured, and expresses its solidarity with the victims and their families, and with the civilians who were exposed to danger as a result of this attack.
A Serious Attack on the Security of Civilians and on Syria’s Stability
The two explosions constitute a serious attack on the right to life and bodily integrity, and they expose civilians and workers in the public institutions to danger. Moreover, they occurred in a civilian and central area that witnesses a dense presence of citizens and employees.
SNHR stresses that the use of explosive devices in populated areas can’t be justified under any political or security pretext. Therefore, those responsible for the planning, the execution, and the assistance must be held accountable, in accordance with the law and through fair judicial proceedings.
SNHR also warns that these attacks aim, regardless of the party standing behind them, to undermine the sense of security, disrupt the process of transition, and weaken the trust of Syrians and the international partners in the capacity of the state institutions to protect the population and ensure the continuity of public life.
At the same time, SNHR stresses the necessity of refraining from issuing premature conclusions regarding the identity of the perpetrators or their motives before the completion of the investigations and the gathering of evidence.
