Not less than 15 Christians have been confirmed dead in Burkina Faso Church attack after gunmen attacked a Catholic Church on Sunday as villagers gathered to seek God in prayer.
Abbot Jean-Pierre Sawadogo, a member of the local Diocese of Dori, said 12 people died at the spot of attack while three others died later in hospital.
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Gunmen opened fire on the church in Essakane village in the Northeast of the country during the service. The attackers are believed to be radical Islamic militants.
“In this painful circumstance, we invite you to pray for those who died in faith, for the healing of the wounded, and for the consolidation of grieving hearts,” Sawadogo said as he asked for prayers for all those affected.
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According to Open Doors, a persecution watchdog, the north side of Burkina Faso has been blighted by serious violence since the departure of French troops from the country last year, with at least 800,000 people in Burkina Faso “effectively live under a militant Islamist group siege.”
Burkina Faso is ranked Number 20 on Open Doors’ World Watch List of countries where it’s most dangerous to be a Christian.
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