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A whistleblower has revealed an official investigation that the UK left behind classified technology permitting the Taliban to track down local individuals who worked with allied troops.

Data Breach Endangers Thousands in Danger

Person A, known as Person A, explained that Afghans affected by the data leak were advised to move homes and change their phone numbers to ensure their safety from the ruling authorities.

Members of Parliament are investigating the UK government's response of a serious leak of private information affecting approximately 19k Afghans who had asked to move to the UK to escape militant rule.

Data Disclosure Occurred

An electronic document with confidential details, comprising identities, addresses and occasionally relative details, was inadvertently disclosed by a worker employed at UK special forces headquarters in last year.

The leak became known months later, when the names of multiple applicants who had sought to relocate to Britain appeared on Facebook.

Militant Technology

Many believe there's this misconception that the Taliban lack similar capabilities that western nations possess,” Person A informed MPs.

Technology was deserted in Afghanistan; they possess it. If they have your phone number, they can locate your exact position. This is exactly how intelligence groups achieved.”

During testimony about regarding if authorities owned sophisticated technology, the source confirmed: “They have complete capability.”

Impact of the Data Breach

Initial findings submitted to the investigation indicated that at least 49 family members and co-workers of individuals impacted by the incident had been killed.

A legal restriction concerning the breach was enacted in last year and blocked relevant facts about it from media reporting until July 2025.

Security Recommendations

Because she was restricted, the source and the non-governmental organization associated with told individuals at risk they were working with that they had “suspicions that somebody's phone had been breached”.

“We advised that they moved where feasible and altered their mobile numbers. That constituted the crucial data that, should militant forces had access to this information, would cause identification and capture,” Person A explained.

Disputed Conclusions

Person A argued that an official review performed by an ex-government employee had been mistaken to state that the obtaining of the dataset by the regime was “minimally impact present danger”.

“The thing to remember is that affected people are in hiding from the authorities; they remain concealed. Everything boils down to their previous employment.”

The source explained horrific treatment experienced by affected individuals, including electric shock torture, interrogation techniques, and severe beatings.

“We have had four-year-old children who have had their arms broken to force households to say where someone is,” the whistleblower revealed.