Jihadists kill one pastor and four others during an attack on a Burkinabe church

Gunmen killed four worshipers and a pastor during the first jihadist attack on a church in Burkina Faso, security and local sources said Monday.

The Sunday attack took place in the small town of Silgadji, in the north of the country, near Djibo, capital of the province of Soum, and two other people reportedly missing.

"Unidentified gunmen attacked the Protestant church in Silgadji, killing four members of the congregation and the main pastor," a security official told AFP.

"At least two other people are missing," the source added.

It was the first attack on a church since jihadist violence erupted in the West African country. Muslim clerics and imams have also been targeted.

"The attack took place around 1 pm, at the moment when the faithful were leaving the church at the end of the service," said AFP a church member who did not want not be identified.

"The attackers were on a motorcycle, fired in the air before targeting members of the congregation," the witness added.

Burkina Faso has suffered more and more frequent and deadly attacks from several jihadist groups, including the Ansarul Islam group, the Muslim and Islamist Support Group (GSIM), and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Islamic State of the Great Sahara.

The attacks began in the north of the country before targeting the capital Ouagadougou and other regions, including the east of the country.

In February, a Spanish priest, Father Cesar Fernandez, was killed during a raid attributed to jihadists in Nohao, in the center of the country.