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A confidential source has disclosed a parliamentary probe that the UK left behind sensitive equipment permitting Afghanistan's rulers to track down Afghans who collaborated with allied troops.

Data Breach Puts Numerous in Danger

Person A, known as Person A, explained that Afghans affected by the security lapse were told to change residences and change their phone numbers to protect themselves from the Taliban.

Members of Parliament are looking into the Conservative government's handling of a catastrophic disclosure of private information affecting approximately 19k Afghans who had requested to come to the UK to flee the Taliban.

How the Leak Occurred

A data file containing confidential details, such as names, addresses and sometimes family information, was accidentally leaked by a staff member working at British military command in early 2022.

The incident became known in late 2023, when identities of nine people who had sought to settle in the UK were posted on social media.

Taliban Capabilities

“There seems to be a misunderstanding that the Taliban do not have similar capabilities that western nations possess,” she told lawmakers.

Technology was deserted in Afghanistan; it's in their hands. If they have mobile details, they can trace you down to within metres. That's precisely what the unit did.”

When questioned about whether the Taliban owned necessary encryption, Person A declared: “They possess all resources.”

Aftermath of the Data Breach

Early investigations submitted to the committee indicated that at least 49 relatives and colleagues of individuals impacted by the leak had been executed.

A gag order regarding the incident was implemented in last year and restricted all details concerning it from being made public until July 2025.

Protective Actions

Because she was restricted, Person A and the non-governmental organization she collaborated with told affected households they were assisting that they had “suspicions that mobile communications had been breached”.

“We recommended that they change residence when possible and switched their contact details. These represented the primary information that, if the Taliban had access to such data, would cause identification and capture,” Person A explained.

Contested Findings

The whistleblower argued that internal investigation conducted by a retired civil servant had been incorrect to state that the possession of the dataset by the regime was “not significantly alter current risk levels”.

“The thing to remember is that these individuals are not confronting the authorities; they are in hiding. The primary issue involves former occupations.”

She detailed disturbing violence suffered by at-risk Afghans, comprising electrocution, waterboarding, and severe beatings.

“We have had young kids who have had their arms broken to pressure households to disclose hiding places,” Person A stated.