A gunman's attack on a Burkina Faso church left five congregants and their pastor dead following their Sunday service.

The Christian church attacked was located in the village of Silgadji, which is in the northern part of the country, according to CBN News and The Christian Post.

Churchgoers were killed as they exited the church after their weekly worship service.

No immediate claim on the attack was made, although a recent increase in Islamic extremist violence has been seen in the West African nation. Several jihadist groups are active in the area.

Burkina Faso's population has historically been majority-Muslim, but different religious groups have peacefully coexisted in the country.

According to an unnamed member of the church, attackers arrived on motorbikes and fired shots in the air before aiming at congregants. The attack happened around 1:00 p.m.

The attack was the first to occur against a church in Burkina Faso.

The shooting occurred a few days following the killing of five teachers in a more eastern area of the country by jihadists.