Four Suspects Killed in Malawi Police Operation to Rescue British Woman
A British woman, Nusrat Osman, was safely rescued in Malawi after an operation that resulted in the deaths of four suspected kidnappers.
Four suspects were fatally shot during a police operation in Malawi that led to the rescue of a British woman who had been kidnapped the previous week, authorities announced Thursday.
The rescued woman, identified as 47-year-old Nusrat Osman, is safe and has been reunited with her family in the southern African nation, according to a statement from the Malawian police.
Police reported that the four suspected kidnappers, armed with an AK-47 rifle and a pistol, were killed in a shootout with officers. A senior Malawian police officer sustained a wound during the operation and is in stable condition at a hospital.
Osman, a mother of two who reportedly works for an auditing firm in Malawi, was abducted around lunchtime on Sept. 11 in the southern city of Blantyre. British media have indicated she is originally from Leicester, England.
Malawi police had previously stated they were searching for four men who used a gray car to abduct her. The motive behind the kidnapping was not immediately clear, and the suspects had not made contact with Osman's family or authorities.
Authorities had offered a reward of approximately $17,000 for information that could lead to Osman's safe return and the apprehension and conviction of those responsible. Police have stated that investigations into the motive for the abduction are ongoing.