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A confidential source has disclosed the Afghan leak inquiry that British authorities left behind sensitive technology permitting the Taliban to locate Afghans who worked with allied troops.

Data Breach Endangers Numerous at Risk

The source, known as Person A, stated that individuals impacted by the data leak were advised to move homes and switch their phone numbers to avoid detection from the ruling authorities.

MPs are looking into official management of a serious leak of confidential data involving almost nineteen thousand individuals who had requested to come to the UK to escape the Taliban.

Data Disclosure Occurred

A data file containing confidential details, including names, addresses and occasionally family information, was inadvertently disclosed by a worker stationed at special operations center in February 2022.

The breach was discovered in late 2023, when the names of nine people who had applied to relocate to Britain were posted on online platforms.

Regime's Resources

“There seems to be a misunderstanding that the Taliban are without comparable resources that we have,” the whistleblower testified to MPs.

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

During testimony about regarding if authorities had access to advanced decryption, the whistleblower stated: “They possess all resources.”

Aftermath of the Data Breach

Early investigations provided to the investigation estimated that at least 49 kin and co-workers of individuals impacted by the breach had been executed.

A legal restriction about the breach was put in force in late 2023 and restricted relevant facts regarding the matter from media reporting until July 2025.

Protective Actions

Given injunction limitations, the source and the volunteer organization she collaborated with advised affected households they were assisting that they had “concerns that mobile communications had been intercepted”.

“We advised that they change residence when possible and switched their phone numbers. These represented the primary information that, should militant forces had access to these details, would result in them being traced,” she said.

Disputed Conclusions

Person A disputed that internal investigation conducted by a retired civil servant had been wrong to state that the obtaining of the information by the regime was “minimally impact current risk levels”.

“The thing to remember is that these individuals are not standing up to the authorities; they live secretly. All concerns relate to past work history.”

She detailed terrible violence experienced by affected individuals, comprising electric shock torture, simulated drowning, and physical abuse.

“We have had four-year-old children who have had bones crushed to try to get the family to say where someone is,” the whistleblower revealed.