US Pastor Josh Sullivan, abducted during church service in South Africa

The US pastor was abducted by armed men after they invaded church service in South Africa, local authorities say.

Josh Sullivan served in the Baptist Church of Scholarships in Modovel, the town in GcEber on the East Cape, on Thursday night, when “four suspected men’s masks entered,” said the BBC Police Captain Andre Betge.

Men stole two phones before leaving the church to a 45-year-old silver Toyota Fortuner shepherd. Later, police found that the vehicle threw, but there were no traces of Mr. Sulvane.

The US State Department’s press -secretary reported the BBC that they were aware of the abduction of a US citizen in South Africa.

They said there was no “greater priority than the security and security of US citizens abroad.”

Betzh said the BBC case was transferred to the elite police unit of South Africa, known as a Hox, which explores serious organized and commercial crimes and corruption.

“Currently, police adheres to all possible victim and detention of criminals,” said the Hox -Lieutenant -Lieutenant COL Avele Fumba.

Press -Secretary of Family Sullivan, Press Saulivan family, told the local newspaper Term What he was in the church with his wife and their children when the incident took place.

“They knew his name,” he said.

Mr. Sulivan’s mother, Tonya Morton Rinker, wrote on Facebook that her broken over the news.

She added: “Our congressman and the US Embassy are working on finding it.”

According to private property, no redemption is required News24.

On his personal site, Mr. Sullivan characterizes himself a “missionary for the land of the church”.

On it he says he moved to South Africa with his wife and children in 2018 to create a church for people talking in Xhosa.

Over the last decade in South Africa, there has been an increase in abductions by 264%, According to police statistics.

Just a few days ago, a Chinese citizen was abducted in Gqberra.