The gunman who carried out the deadly shooting at a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg was an Islamic State soldier, the terrorist group’s Amaq news agency said late Thursday.

The statement that was carried by Amaq said “the attacker behind the Strasbourg attack in east France Tuesday night was a soldier of the Islamic State and he carried out the operation in response for calls to target citizens of the coalition countries,” in a clear reference to coalition countries who are carrying attacks against the jihadist group in Syria and Iraq.

The report came hours after police confirmed the death of Cherif Chekatt, the suspected gunman in Tuesday’s shooting.