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A whistleblower has disclosed an official investigation that the UK failed to secure confidential technology permitting the Taliban to track down local individuals who collaborated with international military.

Information Leak Endangers Thousands at Risk

The source, known as Person A, stated that individuals impacted by the information breach were instructed to move homes and change their contact details to protect themselves from the Taliban.

Lawmakers are investigating the UK government's management of a catastrophic disclosure of personal details affecting approximately 19k individuals who had applied to move to the United Kingdom to avoid the Taliban.

Data Disclosure Occurred

An electronic document including their personal data, such as identities, phone numbers and in some cases family information, was inadvertently disclosed by a staff member working at British military command in early 2022.

The leak became known only in August 2023, when identities of several individuals who had applied to move to the UK were posted on online platforms.

Taliban Capabilities

Many believe there's this misconception that militant forces are without the same sort of facilities that allied forces use,” she told the committee.

“We left it all behind in Afghanistan; they possess it. Once they acquire mobile details, they can trace your exact position. This is exactly how intelligence groups did.”

During testimony about if militant forces owned advanced decryption, Person A stated: “They've got everything.”

Consequences of the Information Leak

Preliminary research provided to the investigation estimated that approximately fifty family members and co-workers of individuals impacted by the leak had been murdered.

A gag order about the breach was enacted in August 2023 and prevented all details about it from media reporting until July 2025.

Safety Measures

Because she was restricted, the source and the aid group she collaborated with informed individuals at risk they were assisting that they had “concerns that somebody's phone had been intercepted”.

“Our suggestion was that they moved when possible and switched their phone numbers. That constituted the crucial data that, if the Taliban had access to these details, would result in their location being found,” Person A explained.

Disputed Conclusions

The source contested that internal investigation carried out by an ex-government employee had been wrong to state that the obtaining of the dataset by the regime was “not significantly alter present danger”.

“The thing to remember is that these individuals are not confronting militant forces; they remain concealed. All concerns relate to their previous employment.”

She detailed horrific violence experienced by at-risk Afghans, including electrocution, waterboarding, and severe beatings.

“We have had toddlers who have had limbs fractured to try to get the family to disclose hiding places,” the whistleblower revealed.