Afghan Rulers Employed Discarded UK Technology to Locate Local Nationals Who Worked With Allied Forces, Investigation Learns

A confidential source has disclosed an official investigation that the UK left behind confidential equipment enabling Afghanistan's rulers to locate Afghans that had served with western forces.

Data Breach Puts Thousands at Risk

Person A, known as Person A, explained that individuals impacted by the security lapse were advised to change residences and change their contact details to protect themselves from militant forces.

Members of Parliament are looking into the UK government's response of a serious breach of personal details affecting approximately 19k individuals who had asked to come to the United Kingdom to avoid militant rule.

How the Leak Happened

A spreadsheet with private information, such as names, addresses and sometimes relative details, was accidentally leaked by a worker working at UK special forces headquarters in early 2022.

The leak became known in late 2023, when identities of multiple applicants who had sought to move to Britain were posted on online platforms.

Regime's Resources

It appears there is this misconception that Afghan rulers do not have comparable resources that western nations possess,” she told MPs.

Technology was deserted in Afghanistan; they possess it. Once they acquire your phone number, they can trace your exact position. That is what intelligence groups accomplished.”

When questioned about whether the Taliban had access to necessary encryption, the source declared: “They've got everything.”

Impact of the Data Breach

Early investigations provided to the committee suggested that at least 49 relatives and co-workers of individuals impacted by the incident had been killed.

A legal restriction about the incident was put in force in August 2023 and blocked relevant facts concerning it from media reporting until July 2025.

Security Recommendations

Due to legal constraints, the source and the non-governmental organization she collaborated with advised affected households they were working with that they had “concerns that certain devices had been breached”.

“Our suggestion was that they moved if they could and altered their phone numbers. These represented the two main details that, if the Taliban had access to these details, would result in them being traced,” the source testified.

Challenged Assessments

Person A contested that internal investigation conducted by a former official had been incorrect to determine that the obtaining of the records by the regime was “not significantly alter present danger”.

“The crucial point is that these Afghans are not confronting the authorities; they are in hiding. Everything boils down to past work history.”

Person A described horrific violence endured by at-risk Afghans, involving electric shock torture, waterboarding, and physical abuse.

“We have had toddlers who have had bones crushed to pressure the family to say where someone is,” Person A stated.