U.K. Admits to Secretly Resettling Thousands of Afghans After Major Data Breach

In an unexpected turn of events, UK officials confirmed the resettlement of 4,500 Afghan individuals after a major data breach influenced their safety amidst diplomatic tensions with the Taliban.

In a stunning admission to Parliament, the British Defense Ministry reported an accidental exposure of personal information regarding over 18,000 Afghans who collaborated with British forces prior to the Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan. This significant lapse, which occurred in 2022, had remained shrouded in secrecy due to a legal restriction known as a "super injunction" that was placed by the Conservative-led government under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The super injunction legally barred any media outlet from discussing the breach, which has drawn severe criticism from free press advocates. Defense Secretary John Healey articulated the government’s internal response to the issue, disclosing that the information had inadvertently been circulated via an email sent outside official channels. The extent of the breach did not come to light until August 2023, when specific details concerning nine individuals captured public attention on social media.

Following the breach, the government initiated a covert resettlement initiative dubbed the Afghan Response Route, designed to assist those Afghan individuals flagged as at risk of Taliban retaliation. This program has successfully facilitated the relocation of 4,500 Afghans into the UK, costing approximately $537 million, with an additional 600 individuals and their families still expected to relocate.

On Tuesday, Healey announced the cessation of the resettlement initiative and committed to publishing a full report addressing the situation. The results of this report indicated inadequate evidence suggesting a Taliban-driven campaign of retribution or that the leaked information would pose a threat to the Afghan allies who had supported British endeavors.