Syria says preliminary probe links Damascus bomb cell to Islamic State

Jul 9, 2026

A cordoned-off area and a damaged structure in the aftermath of explosions near a hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was meant to be staying, in Damascus, Syria, July 7, 2026. REUTERS/Yamam Al Shaar — Yamam Al Shaar

July 9 (Reuters) - Preliminary investigations into the cell responsible for Tuesday's bombings in Damascus have shown it was affiliated with Islamic State, a senior Syrian security official said on Thursday.

• "We were able to track down one member of the cell responsible for the July 7 Damascus bombings, and by monitoring him we identified the rest of the group's members," Ahmad al-Dalati, head of internal security in the Damascus countryside, told Syrian state-run Ekhbariya TV.

• Interior Minister Anas Khattab said earlier on Thursday that authorities would reveal the identities of the cell's members, their roles and all their links after investigations were completed.

• Two bombs exploded on Tuesday near a hotel in Damascus where French President Emmanuel Macron spent the night, wounding 18 people and overshadowing the first visit to Syria by a European Union head of state since Bashar al-Assad was toppled.

(Reporting by Enas Alashray; Editing by Mark Porter and Jamie Freed)