Taliban Used Discarded British Technology to Find Afghans Who Worked Alongside Western Troops, Investigation Learns
A confidential source has told an official investigation that British authorities failed to secure classified devices enabling the Taliban to locate Afghans that had served with international military.
Data Breach Puts Numerous in Danger
Person A, identified as Person A, stated that people concerned by the data leak were told to change residences and change their mobile numbers to avoid detection from militant forces.
Lawmakers are looking into the UK government's management of a catastrophic breach of confidential data affecting approximately 19k Afghans who had asked to come to Britain to escape the regime.
Data Disclosure Happened
A spreadsheet containing private information, including identities, phone numbers and in some cases household data, was accidentally leaked by a worker working at special operations center in early 2022.
The incident became known in late 2023, when identities of nine people who had applied to relocate to the UK were posted on social media.
Regime's Resources
It appears there is a false assumption that Afghan rulers lack comparable resources that allied forces use,” Person A informed the committee.
Technology was deserted in Afghanistan; they have it. Once they acquire mobile details, they can locate your exact position. That's precisely what the unit did.”
During testimony about if militant forces possessed necessary encryption, Person A confirmed: “They've got everything.”
Aftermath of the Security Lapse
Initial findings provided to the investigation indicated that at least 49 family members and associates of Afghans affected by the breach had been murdered.
A legal restriction about the leak was put in force in last year and blocked all details concerning it from being made public until mid-2025.
Safety Measures
Given injunction limitations, the source and the volunteer organization she collaborated with told Afghan families they were supporting that they had “apprehensions that certain devices had been compromised”.
“Our suggestion was that they change residence where feasible and changed their mobile numbers. That constituted the crucial data that, if authorities had access to this information, would lead to them being traced,” Person A explained.
Disputed Conclusions
Person A disputed that an official review conducted by a former official had been wrong to conclude that the possession of the records by the Taliban was “minimally impact present danger”.
“The crucial point is that these individuals are not standing up to the Taliban; they remain concealed. All concerns relate to past work history.”
Person A described horrific abuse suffered by affected individuals, comprising electrocution, simulated drowning, and severe beatings.
“Instances include young kids who have had their arms broken to try to get the family to say where someone is,” Person A stated.
