🔗 Share this article Afghan Rulers Used Discarded British Gear to Find Afghans Who Worked Alongside Western Forces, Investigation Is Told An informant has disclosed a parliamentary probe that British authorities left behind confidential devices allowing the militant group to locate local individuals who collaborated with allied troops. Information Leak Puts Thousands at Risk The whistleblower, called Person A, explained that individuals impacted by the information breach were instructed to relocate and change their contact details to ensure their safety from the ruling authorities. MPs are looking into the UK government's handling of a catastrophic leak of personal details concerning almost nineteen thousand individuals who had requested to relocate to the United Kingdom to escape militant rule. How the Leak Happened A spreadsheet with confidential details, comprising identities, contact details and sometimes household data, was inadvertently disclosed by a worker working at British military command in last year. The incident became known months later, when the names of nine people who had applied to relocate to Britain appeared on social media. Militant Technology It appears there is a misunderstanding that militant forces lack similar capabilities that allied forces use,” Person A informed the committee. All equipment was abandoned in Afghanistan; they have it. If they have your phone number, they are able to track your precise location. That is what specialized teams achieved.” When questioned about if militant forces owned advanced decryption, the source stated: “They've got everything.” Impact of the Data Breach Preliminary research presented to the committee estimated that at least 49 family members and colleagues of Afghans affected by the incident had been murdered. A superinjunction concerning the breach was implemented in late 2023 and prevented relevant facts regarding the matter from public disclosure until July 2025. Security Recommendations Given injunction limitations, the whistleblower and the aid group she was working with told affected households they were supporting that they had “concerns that certain devices had been compromised”. “We advised that they change residence if they could and switched their contact details. These represented the primary information that, should militant forces acquired these details, would result in identification and capture,” the source testified. Challenged Assessments Person A contested that internal investigation conducted by a retired civil servant had been mistaken to determine that the possession of the dataset by militant forces was “unlikely to substantially change current risk levels”. “The thing to remember is that these individuals are not confronting the Taliban; they are in hiding. The primary issue involves former occupations.” Person A described horrific violence experienced by concerned people, including electric shock torture, interrogation techniques, and physical abuse. “There are cases of young kids who have had their arms broken to pressure households to say where someone is,” she testified.