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Burkina Faso: 6 killed in church shooting

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At least six people, including a priest, were killed after gunmen opened fire at congregants outside a Catholic church in Burkina Faso on Sunday.

According to The Hill, people were exiting the church around 9 am (local time) in the town of Dablo, when around 20 men circled them and opened fire.

"These terrorist groups are now attacking religion with the macabre aim of dividing us," said a statement issued by the government.

However, no individual/group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

The latest shooting comes just two days after five teachers were shot dead by unknown assailants.

In a similar incident, motorbike-borne attackers opened fire in a Protestant church on April 30, leaving six people dead, including a pastor.

 

Recently, French armed forces rescued four hostages- an American, two French citizens and a South Korean national. However, two French soldiers died in an overnight raid.

The West African nation is currently prone to Islamist attacks, government officials have said. Adding to that, it shares a border with volatile Mali, where tensions among various religious groups is an all-time high.

In December last year, the government declared a state of emergency in several northern provinces bordering Mali fearing attacks.

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First Published: May 13 2019 | 9:26 AM IST

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