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An informant has told the Afghan leak inquiry that the UK left behind sensitive devices enabling the Taliban to track down local individuals that had served with allied troops.

Information Leak Puts Numerous at Risk

The whistleblower, identified as Person A, stated that people concerned by the data leak were instructed to move homes and change their contact details to protect themselves from militant forces.

Members of Parliament are currently examining official handling of a catastrophic breach of personal details concerning almost nineteen thousand Afghans who had asked to move to the UK to flee the regime.

How the Leak Happened

A spreadsheet including their personal data, including names, phone numbers and sometimes family information, was accidentally leaked by an official working at British military command in early 2022.

The incident came to light months later, when identities of multiple applicants who had requested to move to the UK were posted on Facebook.

Regime's Resources

Many believe there's a false assumption that the Taliban are without similar capabilities that allied forces use,” she told the committee.

All equipment was abandoned in Afghanistan; it's in their hands. Once they acquire your phone number, they can trace your exact position. This is exactly how intelligence groups accomplished.”

Under inquiry about regarding if authorities possessed advanced decryption, the source confirmed: “They possess all resources.”

Consequences of the Information Leak

Initial findings submitted to the inquiry indicated that at least 49 kin and associates of Afghans affected by the incident had been executed.

A superinjunction regarding the leak was enacted in last year and restricted all details regarding the matter from public disclosure until July 2025.

Security Recommendations

Because she was restricted, the source and the non-governmental organization she was working with told individuals at risk they were assisting that they had “concerns that somebody's phone had been intercepted”.

“We advised that they moved if they could and switched their mobile numbers. Those were the two main details that, if authorities had access to such data, would cause their location being found,” the source testified.

Disputed Conclusions

The whistleblower disputed that an official review carried out by a retired civil servant had been incorrect to determine that the acquisition of the information by militant forces was “unlikely to substantially change an individual's existing exposure”.

“The thing to remember is that affected people are in hiding from militant forces; they live secretly. The primary issue involves their previous employment.”

Person A described disturbing violence suffered by affected individuals, involving electrocution, waterboarding, and violent assaults.

“We have had young kids who have had bones crushed to force relatives to say where someone is,” the whistleblower revealed.