Damascus: Syrian authorities said on Thursday they have arrested several suspects accused of orchestrating a string of recent explosions in Damascus, including the bombings that occurred during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit earlier this week.

Security forces conducted a series of raids across the Syrian capital and its surrounding areas, succeeding in "dismantling the entire cell responsible" for the attacks, the Interior Ministry said in an official statement. The ministry did not disclose the identities or organisational affiliations of the detainees.

On Tuesday, explosive devices hidden inside a rubbish bin and a parked vehicle detonated during Macron's landmark visit to Syria, a nation currently rebuilding after years of civil war. Macron, who was inside the presidential palace when the blasts occurred, was unhurt and proceeded with his scheduled meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

The twin explosions killed one person and left 36 others injured, according to the final casualty figures released by Syria's Ministry of Health.

The incident followed an attack last week, in which an explosive device detonated inside a cafe near Damascus' main judicial complex, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 20 others.

No group has claimed responsibility for either of the operations.

The recent bombings present a direct challenge to al-Sharaa, who has been working to assert total authority over Syria. He has consistently appealed to minority groups sceptical of his administration's Islamist-led rule, whilst simultaneously seeking to garner backing from Western governments wary of his historical leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group formerly affiliated with al-Qaida.

His administration has pledged comprehensive political and economic reforms following decades of autocratic governance under the Assad family, which concluded when former President Bashar Assad was overthrown in an insurgent offensive in December 2024 spearheaded by al-Sharaa.

Syria's nearly 14-year civil war resulted in the deaths of close to half a million people, displaced millions more, and left vast areas of infrastructure in ruins. Whilst foreign governments and private enterprises have made substantial investment commitments, the country still requires hundreds of billions of pounds to finance reconstruction efforts and elevate millions of citizens out of poverty.

With inputs from AP