Suellen Tennyson, 83, was taken from her parish in Yalgo by unknown assailants on Monday night, the local diocese said.

Armed men have kidnapped an 83-year-old American nun in northern Burkina Faso, the bishop of the local diocese has said.

“Sister Suellen Tennyson was taken to an unknown destination by her kidnappers who, before leaving, vandalised rooms (and) sabotaged the community vehicle, which they tried to take,” Kaya Bishop Theophile Nare said in a statement on Tuesday.