Afghan Rulers Used Discarded UK Gear to Track Down Afghans Who Worked With Western Troops, Inquiry Is Told
An informant has revealed an official investigation that British authorities left behind confidential technology enabling Afghanistan's rulers to locate local individuals who collaborated with allied troops.
Information Leak Endangers Thousands at Risk
Person A, identified as Person A, testified that people concerned by the data leak were advised to change residences and change their contact details to ensure their safety from the ruling authorities.
Members of Parliament are currently examining the Conservative government's handling of a serious breach of confidential data involving approximately 19k Afghans who had requested to relocate to the United Kingdom to avoid the Taliban.
How the Leak Was Discovered
A data file with confidential details, such as identities, addresses and sometimes household data, was inadvertently disclosed by an official stationed at British military command in February 2022.
The breach was discovered only in August 2023, when the names of several individuals who had applied to settle in the UK appeared on online platforms.
Regime's Resources
Many believe there's a false assumption that Afghan rulers do not have comparable resources that allied forces use,” the whistleblower testified to the committee.
Technology was deserted in Afghanistan; they possess it. Once they acquire mobile details, they can locate your precise location. This is exactly how the unit did.”
During testimony about if militant forces owned advanced decryption, the source confirmed: “They possess all resources.”
Impact of the Data Breach
Preliminary research presented to the committee estimated that no fewer than forty-nine relatives and associates of individuals impacted by the leak had been executed.
A gag order regarding the incident was enacted in last year and blocked all details about it from public disclosure until mid-2025.
Protective Actions
Because she was restricted, the source and the volunteer organization she collaborated with told Afghan families they were supporting that they had “suspicions that certain devices had been compromised”.
“We recommended that they moved when possible and altered their contact details. These represented the primary information that, if authorities acquired such data, would lead to their location being found,” Person A explained.
Disputed Conclusions
Person A disputed that government assessment carried out by a retired civil servant had been mistaken to determine that the possession of the dataset by the Taliban was “not significantly alter present danger”.
“The crucial point is that these individuals are in hiding from the Taliban; they are in hiding. The primary issue involves past work history.”
The source explained disturbing abuse endured by concerned people, including electric shock torture, waterboarding, and violent assaults.
“There are cases of toddlers who have had limbs fractured to try to get the family to reveal locations,” she testified.
