Data breach put 100,000 at risk of harm

THE data breach of thousands of Afghans who worked with UK troops, and their families, prompted fears of a Taliban “kill list”, it has been revealed.

- By James Knuckey

The leak occurred in February 2022 but has only now been made public due to the lifting of a superinjunction.

It is thought that the blunder may have put up to 100,000 people at risk of death or serious harm from the Taliban, which retook control of Afghanistan in 2021 after American and British forces quit the country.

Adnan Malik, head of data protection at Barings Law, said the MoD “repeatedly tried to hide” the “incredibly serious data breach” from the public.

On the day the MoD became aware of the leak, around 1,800 Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy applicants in Pakistan were sent a warning by UK officials.