French special police forces secure an area during a police operation where the suspected gunman, Cherif Chekatt, who killed three people at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, was killed, in the Meinau district in Strasbourg, France, December 13, 2018. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann .

PARIS/CAIRO (Reuters) - Islamic State said the man who killed three people in Strasbourg was one of its soldiers, the group’s Amaq news website said on Thursday, although it provided no evidence for the claim.

An online statement from the group’s Amaq news agency said the attacker “was an Islamic State soldier and carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting citizens of coalition countries” fighting the militant group in Syria and Iraq.

The suspected gunman, Cherif Chekatt, was shot dead on Thursday in a brief gun battle with police after being on the run for 48 hours.