KABUL (Reuters) — A suicide bomber killed six people near a military academy in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Tuesday, the interior ministry said. The Taliban denied involvement in the blast and there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

The bombing took place near the defence university, the Marshal Fahim Military Academy, at the beginning of the morning rush hour. It was the first major attack in the capital this year and comes at a time of heightened uncertainty in the country as U.S. and Taliban negotiators in Qatar try to pursue talks toward a peace deal to end 18 years of war.

“Six people including two civilians and four military personnel were killed”, interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told Reuters, adding that 12 people were wounded, five of them civilians. “It wasn’t our work”, said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a text message to Reuters.

The academy, modelled after European war colleges to train Afghan cadets, has been the scene of several attacks in the past, including an assault last may claimed by Islamic State.