The British government has initiated a confidential scheme to relocate thousands of Afghans to the UK following a significant data breach that exposed the personal information of over 33,000 individuals. Documents released by the London High Court on May 14, 2024, reveal that this breach has put many at risk of retaliation from the Taliban.
According to the court ruling, it is estimated that approximately 20,000 individuals may need relocation to the UK, a process expected to incur costs of “several billion pounds.” Current Defence Minister John Healey stated that around 4,500 affected individuals are already in the UK or in transit, costing the government approximately £400 million. The government is also facing legal challenges from those impacted by the data leak, which could further escalate the financial implications of this incident.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) commissioned a review of the data breach, and as of May 2024, the summary indicates that more than 16,000 individuals affected by the breach have been relocated to the UK. This action was prompted by the exposure of names of Afghans who had assisted British forces in Afghanistan prior to the chaotic withdrawal in 2021.
Details about the breach came to light following the lifting of a superinjunction by the High Court. This injunction, granted in 2023, was intended to prevent public disclosure that could endanger individuals through potential violence or extra-judicial killings by the Taliban. The compromised dataset included personal information of nearly 19,000 Afghans and their families who sought relocation to the UK. The data was mistakenly released in early 2022 and was only discovered by the MoD in August 2023 after parts of it were shared on social media. The injunction was subsequently obtained the following month by the then-Conservative government.
In a recent review, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s center-left government, which came into power in July 2023, assessed the implications of the injunction, the breach, and the relocation scheme. The findings suggest that although Afghanistan remains a perilous environment, there is limited evidence indicating the Taliban’s intent to carry out a systematic campaign of retribution against those who assisted foreign forces.
As the situation evolves, the UK government continues to grapple with the consequences of this data breach, balancing the urgent need for protective measures for vulnerable individuals with the associated financial and legal challenges. The ongoing relocation efforts aim to provide safety for those who put their lives at risk to support British operations in Afghanistan.
