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A whistleblower has told a parliamentary probe that the UK abandoned confidential equipment allowing the Taliban to identify local individuals who worked with western forces.

Information Leak Endangers Thousands in Danger

The source, identified as Person A, stated that Afghans affected by the data leak were advised to relocate and switch their contact details to avoid detection from militant forces.

Members of Parliament are investigating official management of a serious breach of confidential data affecting approximately 19k individuals who had requested to relocate to the United Kingdom to avoid militant rule.

The Information Breach Was Discovered

An electronic document containing confidential details, such as identities, phone numbers and in some cases relative details, was mistakenly released by a staff member stationed at UK special forces headquarters in February 2022.

The incident was discovered in late 2023, when the names of multiple applicants who had applied to move to Britain surfaced on social media.

Militant Technology

Many believe there's a misunderstanding that militant forces are without comparable resources that western nations possess,” the whistleblower testified to MPs.

All equipment was abandoned in Afghanistan; they have it. Once they acquire a contact number, they can trace your precise location. This is exactly how intelligence groups accomplished.”

When questioned about whether the Taliban had access to necessary encryption, Person A stated: “They have complete capability.”

Impact of the Information Leak

Initial findings provided to the inquiry estimated that no fewer than forty-nine family members and associates of Afghans affected by the incident had been executed.

A legal restriction concerning the breach was put in force in August 2023 and restricted relevant facts concerning it from public disclosure until July 2025.

Security Recommendations

Due to legal constraints, the whistleblower and the aid group associated with advised Afghan families they were supporting that they had “suspicions that certain devices had been compromised”.

“We recommended that they moved if they could and switched their mobile numbers. Those were the crucial data that, if authorities had access to these details, would result in identification and capture,” Person A explained.

Disputed Conclusions

The source argued that an official review performed by a former official had been incorrect to state that the obtaining of the dataset by the Taliban was “minimally impact present danger”.

“The crucial point is that these individuals are not standing up to militant forces; they are in hiding. All concerns relate to former occupations.”

Person A described horrific violence experienced by at-risk Afghans, comprising electrocution, waterboarding, and severe beatings.

“Instances include young kids who have had bones crushed to force the family to disclose hiding places,” she testified.