18 injured in twin explosions near Syria's Tourism Ministry in Damascus

In a statement carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the ministry said Internal Security Forces discovered the two explosive devices during field operations and deployed specialized units to defuse them. The devices detonated while preparations for the disposal operation were underway.

The ministry said the first device had been placed inside a parked vehicle, while the second was hidden inside a garbage container. An initial assessment indicated that both devices were crudely manufactured.

Security forces sealed off the area to protect civilians as specialized units launched search operations and an investigation to identify those responsible, the ministry said.

The ministry said the blast site was outside the designated security perimeter for French President Emmanuel Macron's accommodation and posed no direct threat to his residence or his official visit, which is continuing as scheduled.

The French presidency said Macron was "safe and sound," according to French daily Le Figaro.

No group has claimed responsibility for the explosions.

The incident came less than a week after an improvised explosive device exploded near a cafe close to the Palace of Justice on the road leading to the Hamidiya market in central Damascus on July 2, killing 10 people and injuring 21 others, according to Syria's Health Ministry.