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A confidential source has revealed a parliamentary probe that the UK failed to secure sensitive technology allowing Afghanistan's rulers to track down Afghans who collaborated with international military.

Data Breach Endangers Thousands in Danger

Person A, called Person A, stated that Afghans affected by the data leak were instructed to change residences and change their contact details to protect themselves from the ruling authorities.

Members of Parliament are investigating official handling of a catastrophic breach of private information affecting approximately 19k Afghans who had requested to move to the UK to flee the regime.

Data Disclosure Happened

A data file with confidential details, such as names, contact details and in some cases family information, was accidentally leaked by a worker employed at UK special forces headquarters in last year.

The leak became known months later, when details of nine people who had requested to settle in the UK were posted on online platforms.

Taliban Capabilities

“There seems to be this misconception that militant forces are without comparable resources that allied forces use,” the whistleblower testified to MPs.

All equipment was abandoned in Afghanistan; they have it. Should they obtain mobile details, they are able to track your precise location. That is what specialized teams achieved.”

During testimony about if militant forces owned sophisticated technology, the source stated: “They have complete capability.”

Impact of the Security Lapse

Initial findings provided to the inquiry suggested that no fewer than forty-nine family members and colleagues of individuals impacted by the leak had been killed.

A superinjunction regarding the leak was implemented in late 2023 and blocked all details about it from being made public until July 2025.

Safety Measures

Given injunction limitations, Person A and the non-governmental organization associated with told Afghan families they were supporting that they had “concerns that somebody's phone had been intercepted”.

“We advised that they moved when possible and switched their phone numbers. That constituted the two main details that, if authorities obtained these details, would cause their location being found,” the source testified.

Challenged Assessments

The source disputed that an official review carried out by an ex-government employee had been incorrect to state that the possession of the dataset by militant forces was “not significantly alter present danger”.

“The thing to remember is that affected people are not standing up to the Taliban; they remain concealed. Everything boils down to former occupations.”

Person A described terrible violence experienced by affected individuals, comprising electric shock torture, simulated drowning, and severe beatings.

“We have had young kids who have had their arms broken to force households to say where someone is,” the whistleblower revealed.