Syrian authorities announced on Thursday evening that they had arrested the cell responsible for the twin bombings in Damascus two days earlier, which occurred during the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron. Interior Minister Anas Khattab said on social media platform X that the “cell responsible for the terrorist attacks that targeted Damascus” was now in custody, and that the identities, roles, and affiliations of its members would be disclosed after the investigation is completed. The announcement marked the first official confirmation of progress in the probe into the July 7 blasts.

The two explosive devices, described by the Syrian interior ministry as primitive in construction, detonated near the Four Seasons hotel where Macron had spent the night, killing one person and wounding between 18 and 36 others, according to differing official tallies. The French president had already departed for talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace, and the Élysée Palace confirmed the visit continued as planned. The bombings overshadowed the first visit to Syria by a head of state from a European Union country since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024 and the subsequent takeover by an Islamist-led coalition.

Viewed from Damascus, the swift arrests are presented by the interior ministry as evidence of the new authorities’ ability to maintain security during a high-profile diplomatic event. French officials, while not commenting directly on the arrests, stressed that Macron’s programme proceeded without interruption, signalling a determination not to allow the attack to derail the diplomatic engagement. Regional security analysts note that the use of crude devices—one placed in a rubbish bin and the other in a parked car—and the absence of any immediate claim of responsibility point to a possible attempt by residual elements opposed to the political transition to embarrass the new government and its Western interlocutors.

The Syrian interior ministry has not yet provided details on the number of detainees or the group’s affiliations, stating only that these will be revealed once the investigation is complete. The attack and the subsequent arrests are likely to feature in discussions between Damascus and European capitals about security cooperation and the conditions for further diplomatic normalisation. The French presidency, for its part, has characterised the visit as a demonstration of support for a “fully sovereign, safe, pluralist, and united” Syria, according to a post on Macron’s official account.