Taliban Utilized Left-Behind UK Technology to Track Down Afghans That Served With Allied Forces, Investigation Hears

An informant has revealed the Afghan leak inquiry that the UK failed to secure confidential technology allowing the militant group to locate local individuals that had served with allied troops.

Data Breach Endangers Numerous at Risk

Person A, known as Person A, explained that individuals impacted by the information breach were instructed to move homes and change their phone numbers to avoid detection from the Taliban.

MPs are investigating the Conservative government's response of a massive breach of personal details involving nearly 19,000 Afghans who had asked to come to the UK to avoid the regime.

Data Disclosure Occurred

A spreadsheet including their personal data, such as identities, addresses and sometimes relative details, was accidentally leaked by an official employed at UK special forces headquarters in early 2022.

The incident came to light in late 2023, when details of several individuals who had requested to settle in Britain were posted on online platforms.

Militant Technology

“There seems to be a false assumption that militant forces are without similar capabilities that we have,” Person A informed the committee.

Technology was deserted in Afghanistan; it's in their hands. If they have mobile details, they are able to track your exact position. That is what the unit achieved.”

During testimony about if militant forces had access to necessary encryption, Person A confirmed: “They've got everything.”

Impact of the Data Breach

Initial findings presented to the inquiry indicated that no fewer than forty-nine family members and associates of individuals impacted by the incident had been murdered.

A superinjunction about the incident was enacted in late 2023 and prevented all details about it from media reporting until mid-2025.

Protective Actions

Due to legal constraints, the source and the non-governmental organization she collaborated with told individuals at risk they were working with that they had “suspicions that certain devices had been intercepted”.

“We advised that they moved when possible and switched their phone numbers. Those were the two main details that, if authorities obtained such data, would result in them being traced,” the source testified.

Contested Findings

The whistleblower disputed that an official review conducted by a former official had been incorrect to conclude that the obtaining of the records by militant forces was “minimally impact an individual's existing exposure”.

“The crucial point is that affected people are not standing up to militant forces; they remain concealed. The primary issue involves past work history.”

Person A described terrible treatment experienced by concerned people, including electrocution, interrogation techniques, and physical abuse.

“Instances include four-year-old children who have had their arms broken to try to get the family to disclose hiding places,” Person A stated.