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A whistleblower has revealed a parliamentary probe that the UK failed to secure classified devices permitting the Taliban to identify local individuals who worked with western forces.

Data Breach Puts Thousands at Risk

The source, known as Person A, stated that individuals impacted by the information breach were advised to change residences and alter their phone numbers to protect themselves from the Taliban.

Lawmakers are looking into the UK government's management of a serious leak of personal details concerning nearly 19,000 Afghans who had requested to relocate to the UK to avoid the regime.

The Information Breach Occurred

A data file containing their personal data, comprising identities, addresses and occasionally family information, was mistakenly released by a worker stationed at UK special forces headquarters in last year.

The incident became known in late 2023, when details of nine people who had requested to move to the UK were posted on social media.

Militant Technology

It appears there is a misunderstanding that the Taliban are without similar capabilities that we have,” Person A informed the committee.

All equipment was abandoned in Afghanistan; they possess it. If they have your phone number, they are able to track you down to within metres. That is what intelligence groups accomplished.”

Under inquiry about if militant forces had access to sophisticated technology, Person A stated: “They possess all resources.”

Consequences of the Data Breach

Initial findings provided to the investigation estimated that no fewer than forty-nine relatives and colleagues of individuals impacted by the incident had been killed.

A legal restriction about the breach was enacted in late 2023 and prevented all details about it from being made public until mid-2025.

Safety Measures

Given injunction limitations, the whistleblower and the volunteer organization associated with advised Afghan families they were supporting that they had “concerns that certain devices had been breached”.

“We advised that they relocate when possible and altered their mobile numbers. These represented the crucial data that, should militant forces acquired this information, would result in them being traced,” Person A explained.

Challenged Assessments

Person A argued that an official review conducted by an ex-government employee had been mistaken to state that the possession of the records by militant forces was “not significantly alter an individual's existing exposure”.

“The thing to remember is that affected people are in hiding from the Taliban; they are in hiding. All concerns relate to past work history.”

Person A described horrific violence endured by affected individuals, including electric shock torture, waterboarding, and severe beatings.

“There are cases of toddlers who have had bones crushed to try to get households to say where someone is,” she testified.