Two powerful explosions were reported in Afghanistan’s capital city Kabul on late Sunday near the United States embassy and the presidential place, according to reports from news agency Sputnik citing Sputnik.

However, the cause of the explosions reported in Kabul remains unclear.

Diplomatic staff from the United States embassy in Kabul has been evacuated and transferred to the city’s airport earlier on Sunday. A security alert was issued by the United States saying that the situation in the city and its airport was quickly changing.

“The security situation in Kabul is changing quickly. There are reports of the airport taking fire; therefore we are instructing US citizens to shelter in place”, the notice said.

An official from the United States Department of Defense announced that “several hundred” employees from the United States embassy in Kabul have been evacuated, according to reports from AFP. The announcement was made around the time of the explosion.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Sunday morning, said on ABC’s ‘This Week, “Right now, the plan that we are putting into effect is to move personnel from the embassy compound in the capital to a location at the airport to ensure that they can operate safely and securely.”

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani resigned from his position on Sunday after the Taliban moved into the country’s capital city and initiated talks with members of the civilian government at the Afghan Presidential Palace. 

Ghani’s decision to step down as the President of Afghanistan triggered the formation of an interim government under the leadership of the Taliban. Talks began after the Taliban said that they did not want to seize Kabul by force.   

Meanwhile, as military evacuations continue in Afghanistan, the Hamid Karzai International Airport has temporarily shut down its commercial flight operations, according to news agency Associated Press.