Full Breakdown
Syrian Interior Forces Arrest IS-Linked Cell After Damascus Bombings During Macron Visit
7/10/2026, 5:54:08 PM
Arrests Following the July 7 Bombings
Syrian authorities announced Thursday that they had detained a terrorist cell they say was responsible for two vehicle-borne explosions in Damascus on July 7, 2026. The blasts occurred near the Four Seasons hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying, killing one civilian and wounding 36 others. The arrests followed simultaneous raids in four Damascus neighbourhoods—Al-Qatifah, Sayyidah Zaynab, Qudsaya and ‘Ush al-Warawir—and surrounding countryside. Interior officials described the operation as “complex” and coordinated with the General Intelligence Agency. Earlier in the week a bomb at a café popular with lawyers had killed 10 people and injured 21, underscoring a recent surge in violence.
Background to the Attack
Macron’s visit marked the first trip by an EU head of state to Syria since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. He met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace and was scheduled to meet civil-society groups when the explosions occurred. Syria joined the U.S.–led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) in 2025, a year after the group was largely defeated in Iraq and Syria.
Official Statements & Responses
Interior Minister Anas Khattab said the cell was now “in our custody” and that investigators would later disclose the members’ identities, roles and affiliations. Head of interior security for the Damascus region, Ahmad Dalati, told state television that “preliminary investigations… have shown that the cell was affiliated with the IS group.” President Macron, speaking after the attack, urged the international community to “stand alongside those who have been injured, continue to be uncompromising on security… but not let ourselves be destabilised.” The Syrian Interior Ministry credited precise intelligence and cooperation with the General Intelligence Agency for dismantling the cell, noting that IS has not claimed responsibility.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The cell responsible for the terrorist bombings that targeted Damascus two days ago is now in our custody,” — Anas Khattab, Syrian Interior Minister
- “Preliminary investigations into the members of the cell involved in the July 7 Damascus bombings have shown that the cell was affiliated with the IS group,” — Ahmad Dalati, head of interior security, Damascus region
- “We must at once stand alongside those who have been injured, continue to be uncompromising on security… but not let ourselves be destabilised.” — Emmanuel Macron, President of France
- “Through a complex security operation and precise intelligence follow-up, the internal security forces succeeded, in cooperation and coordination with the General Intelligence Agency, in dismantling the entire terrorist cell responsible for the recent Damascus bombings,” — Syrian Interior Ministry statement
