At least 49 relatives and colleagues of Afghans affected by the Ministry of Defence's mass data breach have been killed, according to research submitted to a parliamentary committee. The study, conducted by Refugee Legal Support in partnership with Lancaster and York Universities, surveyed 350 affected individuals in Afghanistan, the UK, and elsewhere.
Of the 231 respondents who received notification from the MoD that their data had been leaked, 49 reported that a colleague or family member had been killed as a result. Additionally, 200 of those notified (87%) said they had received threats to themselves or their families, while 99 (43%) reported a direct threat to their life. A total of 121 (52%) said family or friends in Afghanistan had been threatened by the Taliban.
Olivia Clark, executive director of Refugee Legal Support, said: 'This research lays bare the devastating human consequences of the MoD data breach. Afghans who served alongside UK forces have faced renewed threats, violent assaults, and even the killing of family members after their personal details were exposed.'
Details of nearly 19,000 people who applied to move to the UK after the Taliban seized power were mistakenly leaked in February 2022 by a British official. The previous government discovered the breach in August 2023 when details were posted on Facebook. A superinjunction blocking reporting was imposed until July 2024.
An MoD spokesperson referred to a previous review, arguing 'it is highly unlikely that merely being on a spreadsheet would be grounds for an individual to be targeted.' The Afghanistan Response Route, set up in April 2024, has enabled 4,500 Afghans to arrive in the UK so far.
