Dozens of Muslims were killed in a rural community in Burkina Faso on Sunday, the same day a deadly attack on a church left 15 people dead, Al Jazeera has reported.

Gunmen reportedly shot at worshippers who had gathered at a mosque for the traditional early morning prayer. The incident is said to have occurred in the country's eastern region which has seen regular attacks by armed groups.

"The victims were all Muslims, most of them men," the BBC quotes an eyewitness

Some reports have claimed that the shooting was carried out by a large number of militia men on motorbikes.

Much of Burkina Faso is outside the control of the government, as various armed groups have been accused of killing thousands of civilians and causing the displacement of millions more.