Afghan Rulers Utilized Discarded UK Technology to Find Afghans Who Worked Alongside Allied Forces, Investigation Hears
A confidential source has revealed the Afghan leak inquiry that the UK failed to secure sensitive equipment permitting Afghanistan's rulers to locate local individuals who worked with international military.
Information Leak Endangers Thousands at Risk
The source, identified as Person A, stated that Afghans affected by the data leak were advised to change residences and switch their contact details to avoid detection from militant forces.
MPs are investigating the Conservative government's management of a catastrophic disclosure of private information concerning almost nineteen thousand individuals who had requested to relocate to the UK to avoid militant rule.
How the Leak Happened
A data file including private information, including identities, phone numbers and sometimes relative details, was mistakenly released by a staff member stationed at special operations center in February 2022.
The incident was discovered only in August 2023, when the names of several individuals who had requested to relocate to Britain surfaced on Facebook.
Militant Technology
It appears there is this misconception that the Taliban do not have similar capabilities that allied forces use,” the whistleblower testified to MPs.
All equipment was abandoned in Afghanistan; they have it. Once they acquire mobile details, they are able to track you down to within metres. That's precisely what the unit did.”
Under inquiry about whether the Taliban owned sophisticated technology, the whistleblower declared: “They possess all resources.”
Consequences of the Information Leak
Preliminary research provided to the inquiry suggested that at least 49 relatives and associates of Afghans affected by the leak had been executed.
A gag order regarding the incident was put in force in August 2023 and blocked relevant facts concerning it from media reporting until July 2025.
Safety Measures
Due to legal constraints, the source and the aid group associated with advised Afghan families they were assisting that they had “concerns that certain devices had been breached”.
“We advised that they moved if they could and changed their mobile numbers. That constituted the primary information that, if authorities had access to such data, would lead to them being traced,” Person A explained.
Challenged Assessments
The whistleblower argued that an official review carried out by a former official had been mistaken to state that the obtaining of the dataset by the regime was “minimally impact an individual's existing exposure”.
“The important fact is that these Afghans are not confronting the Taliban; they remain concealed. Everything boils down to their previous employment.”
Person A described horrific abuse experienced by at-risk Afghans, comprising electrocution, simulated drowning, and severe beatings.
“Instances include young kids who have had limbs fractured to force the family to say where someone is,” she testified.