A Canadian-American pastor who was arrested just one day after the largely publicized release of another American pastor has left the country. 

Byle was arrested by Turkish police on October 13, one day after pastor Andrew Brunson left the country. According to several media reports Byle has now returned to the United States of America

World Watch Monitor says that Byle flew to the USA on Thursday, October 25.

Byle said it has been “painful” for him and his family to face ongoing intimidation by the Turkish authorities because “they keep insisting that I am a threat to Turkey’s national security."

“We long to stay in Turkey with the people we have grown to love here, but we are resigned to do whatever God wants.

“Nevertheless, I was happy to take the many opportunities that arose this time to explain the good news of Jesus to various policemen,” he said. “We long to stay in Turkey with the people we have grown to love here,” Byle wrote to his friends abroad after his release, “but we are resigned to do whatever God wants."