🔗 Share this article Afghan Rulers Employed Left-Behind British Gear to Find Local Nationals Who Worked With Western Forces, Inquiry Is Told A confidential source has told a parliamentary probe that British authorities failed to secure classified technology allowing the Taliban to track down Afghans who worked with western forces. Data Breach Endangers Numerous at Risk The whistleblower, known as Person A, testified that individuals impacted by the data leak were instructed to move homes and change their phone numbers to avoid detection from the ruling authorities. MPs are investigating the Conservative government's management of a catastrophic disclosure of private information affecting approximately 19k individuals who had asked to come to the UK to avoid militant rule. Data Disclosure Was Discovered A spreadsheet containing private information, such as identities, addresses and in some cases family information, was accidentally leaked by a staff member employed at British military command in last year. The breach was discovered months later, when details of nine people who had applied to relocate to the UK appeared on Facebook. Taliban Capabilities “There seems to be a misunderstanding that militant forces lack comparable resources that we have,” she told lawmakers. Technology was deserted in Afghanistan; they possess it. If they have mobile details, they are able to track your exact position. This is exactly how intelligence groups accomplished.” Under inquiry about regarding if authorities possessed advanced decryption, the source stated: “They've got everything.” Impact of the Security Lapse Initial findings submitted to the inquiry indicated that approximately fifty family members and colleagues of people concerned by the breach had been executed. A gag order concerning the incident was enacted in August 2023 and blocked relevant facts regarding the matter from being made public until recently. Protective Actions Due to legal constraints, the source and the non-governmental organization she was working with advised affected households they were supporting that they had “concerns that somebody's phone had been intercepted”. “We recommended that they change residence where feasible and changed their phone numbers. That constituted the two main details that, if authorities acquired these details, would lead to their location being found,” Person A explained. Contested Findings Person A argued that internal investigation carried out by an ex-government employee had been incorrect to state that the obtaining of the information by the Taliban was “unlikely to substantially change current risk levels”. “The crucial point is that affected people are in hiding from the Taliban; they remain concealed. The primary issue involves their previous employment.” Person A described horrific violence suffered by at-risk Afghans, including electrocution, simulated drowning, and severe beatings. “We have had toddlers who have had limbs fractured to try to get households to disclose hiding places,” she testified.