Pope Francis offered prayers for the student victims of the brutal attack in western Uganda

Pope Francis has led prayers at the Vatican for the victims of an Islamist attack on a school in Uganda.

About 40 people – mostly students – were hacked, shot and burned to death in the western town of Mpondwe on Friday night.

The Ugandan army has said it’s pursuing the militants, from a group known as the ADF.

They kidnapped six students before escaping across the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The attack has also been condemned by the Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni who described it as criminal, desperate and futile.

The families of some of the victims have begun burying their loved ones.