Saturday’s attack comes 24 hours after a terrorist with a knife attacked many people outside a church in the Southern French city of Nice, killing three and injuring many others.

On October 16, a school teacher was also beheaded in a terror-related attack.

Police say the reason for the new attack was still unclear but not unconnected to tensions over the publication of caricatures mocking Prophet Muhammad.

The priest is in a hospital with life-threatening injuries after being hit in the abdomen, AP reports.

The attacker was alone and fired from a hunting rifle.

Police locked down the neighbourhood around the church and warned the public to stay away.