Taliban Employed Abandoned British Gear to Track Down Afghans Who Worked Alongside Allied Forces, Inquiry Learns
A whistleblower has told a parliamentary probe that British authorities failed to secure classified devices allowing the militant group to locate local individuals who collaborated with international military.
Data Breach Endangers Numerous in Danger
Person A, identified as Person A, testified that people concerned by the information breach were advised to relocate and alter their phone numbers to ensure their safety from militant forces.
MPs are investigating official management of a catastrophic leak of confidential data involving nearly 19,000 Afghans who had asked to relocate to the United Kingdom to flee the regime.
How the Leak Occurred
A data file including confidential details, comprising identities, phone numbers and occasionally family information, was mistakenly released by a staff member stationed at British military command in February 2022.
The breach became known only in August 2023, when the names of multiple applicants who had applied to settle in the UK were posted on Facebook.
Regime's Resources
“There seems to be a misunderstanding that Afghan rulers lack similar capabilities that allied forces use,” the whistleblower testified to MPs.
Technology was deserted in Afghanistan; they have it. Should they obtain mobile details, they can trace your exact position. This is exactly how the unit achieved.”
When questioned about if militant forces possessed advanced decryption, Person A confirmed: “They possess all resources.”
Aftermath of the Data Breach
Initial findings submitted to the investigation indicated that at least 49 family members and co-workers of individuals impacted by the leak had been murdered.
A legal restriction regarding the incident was implemented in August 2023 and prevented relevant facts about it from being made public until recently.
Protective Actions
Because she was restricted, Person A and the volunteer organization associated with told affected households they were assisting that they had “suspicions that certain devices had been intercepted”.
“We advised that they moved if they could and altered their contact details. These represented the two main details that, should militant forces obtained this information, would cause them being traced,” the source testified.
Contested Findings
The whistleblower argued that internal investigation carried out by a former official had been incorrect to determine that the acquisition of the information by the Taliban was “minimally impact an individual's existing exposure”.
“The crucial point is that affected people are in hiding from the authorities; they remain concealed. All concerns relate to former occupations.”
She detailed disturbing violence suffered by at-risk Afghans, involving electric shock torture, waterboarding, and violent assaults.
“We have had young kids who have had their arms broken to try to get households to reveal locations,” she testified.
