Syrian officials said late Thursday the country had captured an IS-linked cell responsible for two bomb blasts during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Damascus earlier this week.
The attacks cast a shadow over the first trip by a European Union head of state since Bashar al-Assad was toppled in late 2024, as President Ahmed al-Sharaa tries to rebuild the country's image after more than a decade of conflict.
In a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Macron said we must "not let ourselves be destabilised" by such attacks, and the two leaders vowed to boost ties with new ambassadors to be installed in each country.
Syria's Interior Minister Anas Khattab said that "the cell responsible for the terrorist bombings that targeted Damascus two days ago is now in our custody".
"Once the investigations are completed, we will reveal to the public the identities of the cell's members, their roles, and all of their affiliations and connections," he wrote on X.
