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A whistleblower has disclosed a parliamentary probe that the UK abandoned confidential technology allowing Afghanistan's rulers to locate Afghans who collaborated with allied troops.

Information Leak Puts Thousands at Risk

The source, called Person A, explained that Afghans affected by the information breach were instructed to relocate and change their phone numbers to avoid detection from the ruling authorities.

Members of Parliament are looking into the UK government's response of a serious disclosure of private information involving almost nineteen thousand individuals who had applied to come to the UK to avoid the Taliban.

How the Leak Occurred

A data file with confidential details, comprising names, addresses and occasionally household data, was mistakenly released by a staff member employed at UK special forces headquarters in February 2022.

The leak was discovered only in August 2023, when identities of several individuals who had sought to move to the UK surfaced on social media.

Taliban Capabilities

“There seems to be this misconception that the Taliban do not have similar capabilities that western nations possess,” the whistleblower testified to lawmakers.

All equipment was abandoned in Afghanistan; they possess it. Once they acquire your phone number, they can locate your exact position. This is exactly how specialized teams accomplished.”

When questioned about if militant forces possessed advanced decryption, the source stated: “They possess all resources.”

Impact of the Information Leak

Initial findings submitted to the investigation estimated that no fewer than forty-nine kin and colleagues of people concerned by the breach had been executed.

A legal restriction concerning the incident was implemented in late 2023 and restricted relevant facts about it from public disclosure until mid-2025.

Protective Actions

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

“We recommended that they change residence if they could and altered their mobile numbers. That constituted the two main details that, if the Taliban acquired this information, would result in them being traced,” Person A explained.

Contested Findings

The source contested that internal investigation conducted by a former official had been incorrect to determine that the possession of the information by the regime was “unlikely to substantially change present danger”.

“The thing to remember is that these Afghans are in hiding from the Taliban; they live secretly. The primary issue involves their previous employment.”

Person A described terrible treatment endured by affected individuals, involving electric shock torture, waterboarding, and physical abuse.

“Instances include toddlers who have had bones crushed to force the family to disclose hiding places,” the whistleblower revealed.