India, April 16 -- US Pastor Josh Sullivan, who was kidnapped in South Africa by armed men during a church service last week, has been rescued after a "high-intensity shoot-out" that claimed three lives, confirmed officials.

On Tuesday night, Sullivan, 45, was rescued unharmed in the Eastern Cape township of Gqeberha.

The abductors, who are thought to have been aware of the family's whereabouts, were not immediately identified. The incident comes at a time when South Africa is witnessing a sharp rise in kidnappings for ransom.

Following Sullivan's kidnapping, South Africa's elite police force, known as the Hawks, stepped in after kidnappers demanded a ransom.

Sullivan was rescued after "verified intelligence wherein a coordinated team...