Macron visits Damascus, signs bilateral agreements with Syria's al-Shar'a
July 13, 2026 at 01:34 PM · Updated 96d ago
French President Emmanuel Macron made a formal visit to Damascus on Tuesday, signing bilateral agreements and announcing the exchange of ambassadors.
- Macron met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Shar'a in Damascus on Tuesday.
- The two leaders signed bilateral agreements covering multiple sectors and announced the imminent exchange of ambassadors.
- Macron said France would return over 50 million euros in seized assets from Rifaat al-Assad to the Syrian people for development projects.
Latest developments
Following President Macron's visit, Syrian authorities announced that preliminary investigations into a bombing cell responsible for two attacks in Damascus—one near the hotel where Macron was staying—have revealed its affiliation with the Islamic State (ISIS) group. This marks the first official identification of the group behind the attacks. The cell has been dismantled and all its members arrested in coordinated raids across Damascus and its countryside, conducted jointly by the General Intelligence Directorate and security forces. Investigations are ongoing to determine further connections and roles, the Interior Ministry stated.