Report has been confirmed that the personal details of serving and former members of UK special forces, and the security services, were included in the Afghan data breach.
In total, the details of more than 100 British officials were released in February 2022, alongside thousands of Afghans’ details.
The breach happened when a British official leaked a spreadsheet by mistake – it was later subject to a super-injunction, meaning no details could be reported.
The revelation followed a London judge’s order Tuesday to lift the super injunction that prevented any reporting on an email inadvertently sent by a defense official in February 2022.
The Afghans, who worked with Western forces as fixers, translators or served in the internationally backed Afghan army, applied under a program to bring some to the U.K. because they faced retribution.
The breach, which happened under the previous Conservative government, involved the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) – a scheme designed to offer sanctuary in the UK to Afghans who supported British military operations during the 20-year war in Afghanistan.
Between 80,000 and 100,000 people, including family members of the ARAP applicants, were affected by the breach and could be at risk of harassment, torture or death if the Taliban obtained their data, judges said in June 2024.
So far, around 4,500 people – made up of 900 ARAP applicants and approximately 3,600 family members – have been brought to the UK or are currently in transit through the Afghanistan Response Route.
A further estimated 600 people and their relatives are expected to be relocated before the scheme closes, bringing the total to around 6,900 individuals by the end of the programme.
The Ministry of Defence says that the cost of the 6,900 who have been brought over because of the data breach will be £800m.
However, court documents suggest the total cost of Afghan relocations could reach £7 billion – most of which has not been scrutinised by Parliament.
