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An informant has told a parliamentary probe that British authorities failed to secure classified equipment allowing Afghanistan's rulers to identify Afghans that had served with allied troops.

Information Leak Endangers Thousands in Danger

The source, known as Person A, testified that Afghans affected by the information breach were told to move homes and change their phone numbers to ensure their safety from the ruling authorities.

Members of Parliament are currently examining the UK government's handling of a massive breach of private information affecting nearly 19,000 Afghans who had requested to relocate to Britain to flee militant rule.

Data Disclosure Occurred

A spreadsheet including their personal data, such as names, contact details and occasionally family information, was accidentally leaked by an official stationed at UK special forces headquarters in February 2022.

The breach was discovered months later, when identities of nine people who had sought to move to Britain surfaced on online platforms.

Regime's Resources

Many believe there's a false assumption that Afghan rulers lack the same sort of facilities that we have,” the whistleblower testified to MPs.

All equipment was abandoned in Afghanistan; it's in their hands. If they have mobile details, they can trace your precise location. This is exactly how the unit accomplished.”

During testimony about whether the Taliban possessed necessary encryption, the source declared: “They have complete capability.”

Impact of the Data Breach

Early investigations provided to the committee indicated that no fewer than forty-nine kin and colleagues of Afghans affected by the incident had been murdered.

A gag order about the leak was put in force in August 2023 and restricted relevant facts about it from media reporting until mid-2025.

Safety Measures

Because she was restricted, the whistleblower and the aid group she collaborated with informed affected households they were assisting that they had “apprehensions that somebody's phone had been compromised”.

“We recommended that they change residence if they could and switched their mobile numbers. These represented the crucial data that, if authorities obtained this information, would lead to them being traced,” she said.

Challenged Assessments

The whistleblower contested that an official review performed by a former official had been incorrect to state that the acquisition of the information by the Taliban was “not significantly alter present danger”.

“The crucial point is that affected people are in hiding from the Taliban; they are in hiding. The primary issue involves their previous employment.”

She detailed terrible treatment endured by at-risk Afghans, involving electrocution, simulated drowning, and severe beatings.

“Instances include toddlers who have had their arms broken to try to get relatives to say where someone is,” Person A stated.