Taliban Utilized Left-Behind British Technology to Find Afghans Who Worked With Western Troops, Investigation Hears

A confidential source has revealed a parliamentary probe that British authorities abandoned classified devices enabling the Taliban to locate local individuals who worked with allied troops.

Data Breach Puts Thousands at Risk

Person A, known as Person A, testified that Afghans affected by the data leak were told to move homes and alter their mobile numbers to avoid detection from militant forces.

MPs are investigating the UK government's handling of a massive disclosure of confidential data concerning approximately 19k Afghans who had requested to come to the UK to flee the Taliban.

The Information Breach Occurred

A spreadsheet containing their personal data, including names, phone numbers and in some cases relative details, was accidentally leaked by a staff member employed at British military command in early 2022.

The incident came to light in late 2023, when the names of multiple applicants who had sought to settle in the UK were posted on Facebook.

Taliban Capabilities

Many believe there's a false assumption that the Taliban do not have the same sort of facilities that allied forces use,” she told lawmakers.

All equipment was abandoned in Afghanistan; they have it. Should they obtain mobile details, they are able to track you down to within metres. That is what specialized teams did.”

During testimony about if militant forces possessed advanced decryption, the whistleblower stated: “They've got everything.”

Consequences of the Data Breach

Initial findings presented to the inquiry suggested that no fewer than forty-nine family members and co-workers of Afghans affected by the leak had been murdered.

A legal restriction regarding the incident was implemented in last year and restricted all details concerning it from being made public until July 2025.

Protective Actions

Due to legal constraints, Person A and the aid group she collaborated with told affected households they were supporting that they had “suspicions that mobile communications had been compromised”.

“We recommended that they moved if they could and altered their contact details. Those were the crucial data that, if the Taliban had access to these details, would lead to them being traced,” Person A explained.

Disputed Conclusions

Person A disputed that internal investigation conducted by an ex-government employee had been mistaken to state that the possession of the information by militant forces was “unlikely to substantially change current risk levels”.

“The important fact is that these Afghans are not confronting the Taliban; they remain concealed. The primary issue involves their previous employment.”

The source explained horrific treatment endured by affected individuals, involving electrocution, waterboarding, and violent assaults.

“There are cases of four-year-old children who have had limbs fractured to pressure the family to reveal locations,” she testified.