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An informant has told a parliamentary probe that British authorities failed to secure classified equipment permitting the militant group to locate local individuals that had served with international military.

Data Breach Endangers Thousands in Danger

The source, called Person A, stated that people concerned by the security lapse were told to relocate and change their phone numbers to protect themselves from the Taliban.

Members of Parliament are looking into the Conservative government's management of a massive breach of private information affecting nearly 19,000 Afghans who had asked to come to Britain to flee the regime.

Data Disclosure Was Discovered

A spreadsheet including private information, such as names, phone numbers and sometimes family information, was accidentally leaked by a worker stationed at British military command in early 2022.

The breach became known in late 2023, when details of several individuals who had applied to move to the UK were posted on Facebook.

Militant Technology

Many believe there's a misunderstanding that the Taliban lack the same sort of facilities that western nations possess,” the whistleblower testified to MPs.

“We left it all behind in Afghanistan; they possess it. Should they obtain mobile details, they are able to track your exact position. That is what specialized teams did.”

During testimony about whether the Taliban had access to sophisticated technology, the source stated: “They possess all resources.”

Consequences of the Security Lapse

Preliminary research submitted to the investigation suggested that no fewer than forty-nine family members and colleagues of Afghans affected by the leak had been murdered.

A gag order about the breach was put in force in last year and blocked all details about it from public disclosure until July 2025.

Security Recommendations

Because she was restricted, the source and the volunteer organization she was working with advised individuals at risk they were assisting that they had “apprehensions that somebody's phone had been breached”.

“Our suggestion was that they change residence where feasible and altered their phone numbers. Those were the crucial data that, if the Taliban obtained these details, would cause them being traced,” the source testified.

Challenged Assessments

Person A disputed that internal investigation performed by an ex-government employee had been mistaken to state that the possession of the information by militant forces was “minimally impact current risk levels”.

“The crucial point is that affected people are not standing up to the Taliban; they remain concealed. All concerns relate to their previous employment.”

She detailed disturbing abuse endured by concerned people, involving electric shock torture, waterboarding, and violent assaults.

“We have had toddlers who have had their arms broken to try to get relatives to say where someone is,” she testified.