American Pastor Josh Sullivan, who was abducted during a prayer meeting in South Africa, has been rescued following a shootout between law enforcement and his captors.

The incident has sparked widespread relief and gratitude among his congregation and supporters worldwide.

Sullivan, a Tennessee native, was taken at gunpoint on April 10 while delivering a sermon at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell Township, near Gqeberha. Witnesses reported that four masked gunmen stormed the church, creating chaos as they forcibly removed Sullivan from the premises.

The assailants also seized two cellphones and fled in Sullivan’s Toyota Fortuner, which was later discovered abandoned in a nearby area.
South Africa’s elite Hawks unit, known for handling high-profile cases, launched an intensive investigation to locate Sullivan. After days of tracking, authorities pinpointed his location to a safehouse in KwaMagxaki, Gqeberha.

As officers moved in to rescue Pastor Josh Sullivan, the suspects attempted to escape and opened fire, leading to a tense and dangerous confrontation. The shootout resulted in the deaths of three suspects, while Sullivan was found miraculously unharmed inside the vehicle from which the attackers had fired.

Sullivan’s wife, Meagan Witt Sullivan, expressed profound gratitude for the prayers and support that poured in during the ordeal. “We are overwhelmed by the love and faith shown by everyone. Josh’s safe return is nothing short of a miracle,” she said in a statement. Pastor Josh Sullivan, who has been serving as a pastor in South Africa since 2018, is expected to reunite with his family and congregation soon.

The motives behind the kidnapping remain unclear, though authorities suspect it may have been financially motivated, given the increasing prevalence of ransom-related abductions in South Africa. The incident has reignited discussions about safety concerns for foreign nationals working in the country.

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