A British woman abducted in Malawi nearly a week ago has been rescued in a police operation that left four suspected kidnappers dead and a senior officer wounded.

Nusrat Osman, 47, was freed on Thursday during an operation on the outskirts of Blantyre, Malawi's main southern city. Officers exchanged gunfire with the suspects, who were armed with an AK-47 rifle and a Girsan Regard MC pistol.

"There was an exchange of fire between police and kidnappers, who were armed with [an] AK47 rifle and a Girsan Regard MC pistol. In the process, the criminals got shot and were taken to hospital where they succumbed to their injuries," the Malawi Police Service said in a statement.

Deputy Inspector General Mlowoka Noel Kayira, who took part in the operation, was shot during the rescue and is receiving hospital treatment. Police said he is in a stable condition.

Osman was reunited with her family following the rescue and was taken to hospital for treatment and physical and mental health assessments. Inspector General Richard Luhanga said she was "still traumatised" and that officers would interview her once she was "settled properly."

"The motive is still not known but the investigations are ongoing," Luhanga added.

Osman, originally from Leicester, had lived in Malawi for several years with her husband and two young children. She worked for a local auditing firm.

She was abducted on 11 September at around 12.30pm in Blantyre's Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. Police said she had been driving home when four unidentified men blocked her vehicle, forced her into another car and drove away.

Her husband, Nazil Osman, had told a local news outlet before the rescue: "I don't know where she is or how she is. My wife is an auditor, and I have no issues with anyone."

Her brother, Shobi Jiwa, said the family had received no contact from the kidnappers and could not identify a motive. "My sister has been missing for five days with no trace or call," he said earlier in the week.

Following the rescue, Jiwa praised Malawian police and paid particular tribute to Kayira. "He is the hero of our family. He's the hero of the country," Jiwa said. "He's the hero of the world, actually, for putting his life at risk and taking a bullet into himself for my sister."

Authorities had offered a reward of 30 million Malawian kwacha — reported as approximately £12,500 to £12,950 — for information leading to Osman's rescue and the arrest of those responsible. Police did not confirm whether the reward had generated the tip that led to the operation.

The case drew widespread attention in part because investigators said no ransom demand or communication from the kidnappers had been received at any point following the abduction.

Kidnappings are rare in Malawi. A 2024 country report by the US State Department's diplomatic security service noted that "kidnappings are not a widespread concern in Malawi, and there have been no recent high-profile incidents involving westerners," adding that when kidnappings do occur, they have historically involved members of the Asian business community rather than foreign residents or travellers.

Malawi is one of the world's poorest nations, a landlocked southern African country with a population of around 22 million and an average annual income of $672, according to the World Bank. The country has experienced a rise in petty crime and armed burglaries in recent years amid difficult economic conditions.

Police said investigations are continuing and that further details would be shared in due course.