Albino child killed and dismembered in Burundi

The killing has been linked to regional witchcraft

Young children with albinism in Tanzania (file photo) (AFP/Getty Images )

A five-year-old albino girl has been killed and dismembered in Burundi, officials said.

The killing, which is the first reported murder of a person with albinism in Burundi in four years, has been linked to regional witchcraft, according to local officials

"Gunmen broke into the girl's home around 1:00 in the morning Wednesday, they attacked her parents before taking her," local administrator Marie-Claudine Hashazinka told AFP.

Neighbours of the family pursued the gunmen, only to discover the victim’s dismembered body, Sky reported.

More than 20 albino people have been killed in Burundi since 2008, with the last case being in 2012.

In some areas, a complete albino skeleton is worth as much as $75,000, according to the Red Cross.

The Government has banned witch doctors who claim to perform spells and charms using albino body parts to bring good luck and wealth.

An investigation has been opened into the kidnapping and killing.