The 12 remaining missionaries who were kidnapped in Haiti in October have been released, according to the Christian group they worked for.
“We glorify God for answered prayer—the remaining twelve hostages are FREE! Join us in praising God that all seventeen of our loved ones are now safe,” Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement. “Thank you for your fervent prayers throughout the past two months. We hope to provide more information as we are able.”
A group of 17 missionaries — one of whom was Canadian and the rest American — was taken as hostages in October while leaving an orphanage and traveling to an airport in Port-au-Prince.
A gang that goes by the name 400 Mawozo was behind the kidnapping. It oversees the Ganthier commune in the suburb of Port-au-Prince, according to NBC News, which is where the missionaries were detained.
The group of missionaries was reportedly made up of six men, six women and five children.
Two of the hostages were released in November, and an additional three were let go earlier this month.
The gang at one point had demanded $17 million to release the group. The leader of the gang, Wilson Joseph, said in a video that he would kill the missionaries if “I don’t get what I want.”
“I swear that if I don’t get what I want, I prefer to kill the Americans. I’ll put a bullet in each of their heads,” Joseph said in a video that appeared to be a funeral for other gang members.
The gang had reportedly presented the U.S. with proof that the missionaries were still alive.