UK Resettles Afghans After Data Breach in Afghanistan

The UK government has secretly resettled thousands of Afghans in Britain after a data leak revealed personal details of 33,000 people, putting them at risk of Taliban reprisals, with around 4,500 people currently in Britain or transit under the Afghan Response Route.

A review found that 16,000 people had been relocated to the UK by May, and 36,000 more have been relocated under other routes, with the resettlement scheme costing around £400m. The data breach occurred in 2022 when a British official mistakenly leaked the data, which included names, addresses, and other personal information of 19,000 Afghans who supported British forces.

The leak was only discovered in August 2023, and a super-injunction was applied to prevent reporting on the issue. However, the injunction was lifted, and the Defence Secretary has now acknowledged that the breach was a serious mistake. The UK Defence Secretary apologized for the data breach, stating that it "should never have happened" and has promised to investigate the incident.

The breach has raised concerns about the safety of those whose data was leaked, with some fearing that they may be targeted by the Taliban. The UK government has set up a resettlement scheme to help those affected by the breach, but the existence of the scheme and the breach itself were kept secret until the injunction was lifted.

The incident has sparked concerns about the safety of individuals who have worked with British forces in Afghanistan and has raised questions about the handling of sensitive data by government officials. The UK government has faced criticism for its handling of the situation, and an investigation into the breach is ongoing.