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An informant has disclosed the Afghan leak inquiry that the UK failed to secure confidential technology permitting the militant group to identify local individuals that had served with international military.

Information Leak Puts Numerous in Danger

The source, called Person A, testified that individuals impacted by the information breach were told to relocate and change their phone numbers to protect themselves from militant forces.

MPs are currently examining the UK government's management of a catastrophic disclosure of private information affecting nearly 19,000 individuals who had applied to come to the UK to flee the Taliban.

Data Disclosure Was Discovered

An electronic document with their personal data, such as identities, addresses and in some cases relative details, was mistakenly released by a worker working at British military command in February 2022.

The breach came to light only in August 2023, when details of several individuals who had sought to relocate to the UK were posted on Facebook.

Taliban Capabilities

“There seems to be a misunderstanding that the Taliban lack the same sort of facilities that we have,” the whistleblower testified to the committee.

All equipment was abandoned in Afghanistan; they possess it. If they have your phone number, they can trace you down to within metres. That's precisely what the unit accomplished.”

During testimony about if militant forces had access to necessary encryption, Person A declared: “They possess all resources.”

Aftermath of the Information Leak

Early investigations provided to the committee suggested that at least 49 family members and colleagues of people concerned by the breach had been executed.

A superinjunction concerning the incident was implemented in August 2023 and prevented any information about it from public disclosure until July 2025.

Security Recommendations

Because she was restricted, the source and the aid group she collaborated with advised individuals at risk they were supporting that they had “suspicions that mobile communications had been compromised”.

“Our suggestion was that they relocate when possible and changed their mobile numbers. Those were the primary information that, should militant forces acquired this information, would lead to identification and capture,” Person A explained.

Challenged Assessments

The source contested that government assessment conducted by an ex-government employee had been wrong to conclude that the possession of the dataset by the Taliban was “unlikely to substantially change current risk levels”.

“The crucial point is that affected people are not standing up to militant forces; they are in hiding. All concerns relate to their previous employment.”

She detailed terrible abuse experienced by concerned people, including electrocution, simulated drowning, and physical abuse.

“Instances include four-year-old children who have had bones crushed to pressure households to say where someone is,” she testified.