The Islamic State (IS) group has claimed responsibility for the axe attack committed in Germany, world media report.

An Arabic-language bulletin in Amaq News Agency, considered to be the voice of IS, followed revelations by German authorities that the perpetrator, a 17-year-old Afghan national, possessed a hand-drawn IS flag which had been found in the room where he had last lived.

The teenager, who had a pending asylum request, assaulted passengers of a train in Bavaria, Germany, using an axe and a knife. He was shot dead by police after having left at least four people wounded, all from the same family from Hong Kong.

IS said in the bulletin the Afghan had acted "in response to the call to target coalition countries" that a righting the militant group, according to the New York Times.

Last week the group claimed responsibility for the attack in Nice that killed 84 people and left hundreds injured.

German criminal officials, however, have been wary of confirming that IS is behind the attack.

Speaking to ZDF broadcaster's breakfast show earlier on Tuesday, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said that "so far" it was not known whether the incident had "an Islamist background".

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