Four people are dead after yet another attack on the Christian community in the West African nation of Burkina Faso. The attack took place on Monday when gunmen opened fire on a Catholic procession in the remote town of Zimtenga.
The armed group reportedly stopped the parade before letting the children go and killing four adults.
The militants went onto desecrate a statue of the Virgin Mary by setting it alight, President of the Episcopal Conference Paul Ouédraogo, told CNN.
The latest attack comes after six Christians, including a priest, were gunned down as they partook in Mass on Sunday. According to the BBC, among those killed were a number of the church elders.
Militant Islamic groups linked to ISIS and al-Qaeda have been waging an increasingly violent war against followers of Jesus in the West African nation — this is the third attack on a church over the past five weeks.
Last month, six people were slaughtered at a church in the town of Silgadji.
The statistics speak for themselves: in 2016, there were just 12 jihadist attacks, in 2017 there were 33 and in 2018 it ramped up to some 158.
In response to the attack, the government condemned the “terrorist groups” who are “attacking religion in an evil plot to divide us.”
Still, the faith community of this troubled nation insist they won’t be cowed by the violence perpetrated against them.
“We will not be bogged down by the religious attacks,” said Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo at a conference Tuesday following the most recent killings.
Do continue to pray for this troubled nation.