A serious data breach at the Ministry of Defence has exposed dozens of Afghan citizens who supported British forces to potential Taliban retaliation, The Independent can reveal.
The security failure occurred when an MoD official mistakenly copied all recipients into an email regarding the UK's Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), revealing the email addresses and names of Afghan applicants still seeking evacuation from the country.
Lives Put in Immediate Danger
One affected interpreter, who worked alongside British troops for five years, described the breach as a "death sentence" for those still trapped in Afghanistan. "The Taliban are hunting us," he told The Independent. "If they find our names or contacts, they will punish and kill us and our families."
The email was sent to applicants currently in Afghanistan or neighbouring countries who are awaiting decisions on their relocation to Britain. Many had attempted to hide their connections to UK forces from Taliban authorities.
MoD Admits "Unforgivable" Error
In a follow-up message, the MoD acknowledged the "significant error" and advised recipients to delete the original email and change their email addresses if they believed their safety was compromised.
However, security experts have condemned the breach as "unforgivable" given the life-or-death stakes for those who assisted British military operations during the 20-year conflict.
Growing Pattern of Security Failures
This incident follows previous security concerns around the processing of Afghan allies, raising serious questions about the MoD's data protection protocols when handling sensitive information about vulnerable individuals.
Defence sources have confirmed an urgent investigation is underway, but for those whose safety has been compromised, the damage may already be irreversible.
