An American pastor kidnapped during a church service in South Africa has been rescued following a "high-intensity shoot-out", police have said.
Josh Sullivan was found unharmed in Gqeberha on Tuesday evening, five days after being abducted from the same area.
Police said he was "immediately assessed by medical personnel and is currently in an excellent condition".
His kidnappers had demanded a ransom, prompting the involvement of South Africa’s elite police unit, the Hawks.
In a statement, the Hawks said Sullivan was rescued following "verified intelligence wherein a coordinated team… moved swiftly to the identified location".
"As officers approached the house, they observed a vehicle on the premises. The suspects inside the vehicle upon seeing law enforcement allegedly attempted to flee and opened fire on the team. The officers responded with tactical precision, leading to a high-intensity shootout in which three unidentified suspects were fatally wounded," they added.
It is understood that the 45-year-old pastor was holding a prayer meeting with around 30 people, including his wife and six children, when the armed kidnappers entered the church.
According to his website, Sullivan arrived in South Africa with his family from Tennessee in November 2018 and has been on staff at Fellowship Baptist Church in Maryville, Tennessee, since February 2012.
His wife, Megan, released a statement through a family spokesperson on Saturday, thanking people for "the outpouring of love and prayers".