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An American pastor, Josh Sullivan, was rescued unharmed following a dramatic police shootout in South Africa. Sullivan, 45, was kidnapped last Thursday (April 10) during a sermon in Motherwell, a township in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape province. The South African Police Service launched a rescue operation after receiving intelligence that Sullivan was being held in a house in KwaMagxaki, another township in the city.
According to a police statement, the rescue team encountered a "high-intensity shootout" that resulted in the deaths of three unidentified suspects. As officers approached the house, the suspects attempted to flee in a vehicle and opened fire on the police. Sullivan was found inside the vehicle, miraculously unharmed, and is currently in excellent condition.
Sullivan, originally from Tennessee, has been living in South Africa since 2018 as a "church planting missionary." He was abducted by armed men who broke into the Fellowship Baptist Church, where he was preaching, and took him from the pulpit. His truck was later found abandoned.
The rescue operation involved a multi-agency task force, including the Anti-Gang Unit and the Serious Organized Crime Unit.
Tom Hatley, Sullivan's mentor, confirmed the pastor's release on Facebook, urging the public to respect the family's privacy during this time. Sullivan has been reunited with his wife, Meagan, and their two children.