🔗 Share this article Afghan Rulers Utilized Abandoned UK Gear to Find Afghans That Served Alongside Allied Troops, Inquiry Is Told A whistleblower has revealed a parliamentary probe that the UK abandoned classified devices permitting Afghanistan's rulers to track down local individuals who collaborated with western forces. Information Leak Endangers Thousands at Risk Person A, known as Person A, explained that people concerned by the information breach were told to change residences and change their mobile numbers to protect themselves from the Taliban. MPs are looking into the UK government's response of a catastrophic leak of personal details affecting approximately 19k Afghans who had asked to move to Britain to avoid the Taliban. Data Disclosure Was Discovered A data file including confidential details, such as names, addresses and occasionally family information, was mistakenly released by a staff member employed at UK special forces headquarters in last year. The incident came to light only in August 2023, when the names of several individuals who had applied to relocate to the UK appeared on Facebook. Militant Technology Many believe there's a false assumption that Afghan rulers are without similar capabilities that we have,” Person A informed MPs. Technology was deserted in Afghanistan; it's in their hands. Should they obtain your phone number, they can locate your exact position. That is what specialized teams achieved.” When questioned about regarding if authorities possessed sophisticated technology, the source confirmed: “They've got everything.” Impact of the Data Breach Initial findings provided to the inquiry estimated that no fewer than forty-nine kin and associates of individuals impacted by the leak had been executed. A superinjunction concerning the incident was put in force in last year and blocked all details about it from being made public until July 2025. Security Recommendations Given injunction limitations, the source and the aid group she was working with informed individuals at risk they were assisting that they had “concerns that mobile communications had been intercepted”. “Our suggestion was that they relocate when possible and switched their contact details. These represented the two main details that, if the Taliban obtained this information, would cause identification and capture,” she said. Challenged Assessments The whistleblower contested that an official review conducted by a former official had been wrong to state that the acquisition of the records by militant forces was “not significantly alter an individual's existing exposure”. “The important fact is that these Afghans are not standing up to militant forces; they live secretly. All concerns relate to their previous employment.” The source explained horrific abuse experienced by at-risk Afghans, including electric shock torture, waterboarding, and violent assaults. “Instances include four-year-old children who have had their arms broken to try to get households to say where someone is,” the whistleblower revealed.