British Woman Rescued in Malawi After Shootout

A British woman was kidnapped outside her home in Blantyre, Malawi, on 11 September at about 12.30pm. The victim, Nusrat Osman, a 47‑year‑old auditor and mother of two, was taken by armed men who were later identified as four alleged abductors.

Malawian police announced that Osman had been rescued late on Thursday after a shootout. The police statement said the kidnappers were armed with an AK‑47 rifle and a Girsan Regard MC pistol. In the exchange of fire, the four criminals were shot and taken to hospital, where they died from their injuries. A police officer, Deputy Inspector General Mlowoka Noel Kayira, was also wounded during the operation and is receiving medical care in a stable condition.

Osman emerged from the ordeal unharmed and “not too shaken,” her brother Shobi Jiwa told the Sun, thanking Malawi’s police. Jiwa praised Kayira, calling him a hero for risking his life and taking a bullet to protect his sister.

Kidnappings are rare in Malawi, although pickpocketing and house burglaries by armed men have risen amid the country’s unstable, crisis‑ridden economy. Malawi, with a population of about 22 million and an average annual income of $672, is one of the world’s poorest nations. A 2024 U.S. State Department diplomatic security report noted that kidnappings are not a widespread concern and that expatriates have not been significant targets, with incidents typically involving members of the Asian business community rather than foreign travelers or residents.