The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed that 49 separate data breaches over the past four years exposed personal details of Afghan nationals who had applied for relocation to Britain after working with UK forces.
In each incident, names and personal information of dozens of individuals were disclosed, the ministry said. According to a BBC investigation, seven of the breaches were classified as serious and referred to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s data protection watchdog. Three of those cases had not previously been made public.
One of the most serious breaches occurred in 2022, when the personal data of nearly 19,000 Afghan former employees and collaborators of British forces was leaked. The disclosure prompted the government to launch a secret programme to bring thousands of Afghans to safety. More than 6,000 were eventually resettled in the UK under the initiative.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has apologised for the disclosures, acknowledging that the leaks placed Afghan allies at risk of Taliban reprisals.
The controversy has been further inflamed by reports in The Telegraph that some former Taliban fighters were flown to Britain on humanitarian evacuation flights. Among those relocated were individuals with records of sexual offences, corruption and imprisonment. Sources alleged that corrupt Afghan officials had helped place Taliban fighters on evacuation lists.
Experts warn that the breaches and alleged infiltration could endanger Afghan families who assisted British forces. Lawyers representing affected Afghans have accused the MoD of widespread negligence. The ministry insists it takes data security seriously and has implemented reforms since the incidents.
A former deputy defence minister described the leaks as a “devastating mistake.”
The fallout has continued for weeks in Britain. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said former Conservative ministers must answer questions over the breaches.
Separately, a Daily Telegraph investigation reported that since the February 2022 leaks, more than 200 former Afghan soldiers and police officers have been identified and killed by the Taliban.
