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A whistleblower has disclosed an official investigation that British authorities left behind sensitive devices enabling the militant group to identify Afghans who collaborated with western forces.

Data Breach Puts Numerous at Risk

The source, identified as Person A, testified that people concerned by the information breach were instructed to relocate and switch their contact details to protect themselves from militant forces.

Lawmakers are currently examining the Conservative government's handling of a massive breach of personal details involving approximately 19k individuals who had asked to move to the United Kingdom to flee the regime.

How the Leak Happened

A spreadsheet including confidential details, including names, phone numbers and sometimes household data, was accidentally leaked by an official working at British military command in February 2022.

The breach was discovered months later, when the names of multiple applicants who had applied to settle in Britain appeared on social media.

Regime's Resources

Many believe there's a false assumption that the Taliban are without the same sort of facilities that allied forces use,” the whistleblower testified to MPs.

Technology was deserted in Afghanistan; it's in their hands. If they have a contact number, they are able to track you down to within metres. This is exactly how the unit achieved.”

Under inquiry about if militant forces owned sophisticated technology, the whistleblower stated: “They possess all resources.”

Impact of the Information Leak

Preliminary research submitted to the investigation estimated that approximately fifty relatives and co-workers of Afghans affected by the breach had been killed.

A superinjunction concerning the leak was implemented in late 2023 and blocked all details regarding the matter from public disclosure until July 2025.

Safety Measures

Due to legal constraints, the whistleblower and the aid group associated with told affected households they were assisting that they had “concerns that mobile communications had been breached”.

“We advised that they moved when possible and altered their contact details. Those were the two main details that, if the Taliban acquired these details, would lead to identification and capture,” the source testified.

Contested Findings

The source disputed that government assessment conducted by a retired civil servant had been wrong to conclude that the obtaining of the information by militant forces was “minimally impact current risk levels”.

“The thing to remember is that affected people are in hiding from the Taliban; they remain concealed. All concerns relate to former occupations.”

Person A described horrific abuse experienced by concerned people, involving electric shock torture, waterboarding, and severe beatings.

“Instances include toddlers who have had their arms broken to force the family to disclose hiding places,” the whistleblower revealed.