Dar es Salaam, April 16 -- SOUTH AFRICA: An American pastor who was kidnapped by armed men during a church service in South Africa last week has been rescued following a “high-intensity shoot-out” that left three people dead, police say.

Josh Sullivan was found unharmed in the township in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday evening – the area where the 45-year-old was snatched from last Thursday.

There were no immediate details on the kidnappers who are suspected of having been familiar with the familys movements.

Over the past decade, there has been 264% increase in kidnappings in South Africa, according to police statistics.

Mr Sullivans kidnappers had made a ransom demand, prompting the intervention of South A...