At least 15 Catholic worshippers have been killed in a Burkina Faso village when gunmen attacked a community as they gathered for mass at a church in the country’s conflict-hit northern region.

Vicar-general of the Catholic Diocese of Dori, Abbot Jean-Pierre Sawadogo says the violence started on Sunday, in the village of Essakane and it is suspected to be a terrorist attack which left 12 attendees dead at the scene, while three others died later as they were being treated for their wounds.

Reports indicate that the shooting took place in a region where armed groups have carried out several attacks, some of which have targeted Christian churches while others have involved the abduction of clergy.

About half of Burkina Faso is outside government control, as armed groups have ravaged the country for years. Fighters have killed thousands and displaced more than two million people, further threatening the stability of the nation, which experienced two coups in 2022.